My Best Friend's Brother
by Jill Annette
Summary: Rei and Usagi have been great friends for the past four years when Usagi finally meets Rei's brother, Mamoru, and sparks start to fly.
1. Best Friends

My Best Friend's Brother  
Written by: Jill Annette

**CHAPTER ONE – BEST FRIENDS**

"I didn't know you had a brother!" Usagi exclaimed, throwing herself on her friend's bed.

Rei rolled her eyes before looking at Usagi with an un-amused look. Usagi threw her head back as she laughed.

"You know I'm kidding," she sighed, rolling on her stomach so that she could rest her chin in her hands. "I just, can't believe we've been such good friends for – how long? – and I've never met your brother?"

"Four years," Rei deadpanned even as a smile played on her lips. "And he's been at school the entire time."

Usagi reached over the bed to grab a magazine off of Rei's nightstand. As she flipped the glossy pages searching out the latest fashions, Rei sat down at her desk and pulled out a Chemistry textbook. Silence fell between the two but was accepted. It was more of a comfort, knowing that they could just be together and do whatever they wanted without worrying what the other was thinking. Besides, Usagi knew that Rei was pretending that atoms and moles and the periodic table were flying through her head when in reality Yuuichirou was blocking the entrance. Rei knew that Usagi was wondering why she could never find snake-skin shoes like those in the magazine for a decent price at Kohl's or some other decent department store.

After Rei slammed her textbook shut, Usagi lifted her head and asked, "If it's that big of a deal, just ask him."

"Because I'm afraid he doesn't like me," Rei replied, her violet eyes highlighted by tears.

Usagi chucked the magazine on the floor and sat upright, swinging her legs, her heels dragging across the dark carpet. "You won't know unless you ask. He seems to have the same feelings for you. I mean, if it wasn't for me being so needy and cling to your side you would hang out with him a heck of a lot more."

"What if we do start dating," Rei suggested, "and then things go bad."

Usagi threw her head back, "God, Rei!"

"Well, I have to think of every possibility because I want to be ready if it doesn't work out." Rei bowed her head letting the dark strands of her hair hide her face.

"Honey," Usagi cooed; her voice soft as velvet. "You can't set yourself up for disappointment unless you want it." She stood up and took the three steps it took to get to Rei and kneeled on the floor. Here, Usagi could look up and see her friend's face clearly. "All you're doing is asking for him to rip your heart out when you think of all the wrong outcomes in a relationship. If you really care for him then go for it because honestly, if you put your whole heart into it, you'll never know what will happen."

"That didn't get Makoto very far."

It was Usagi's turn to roll her eyes. "That so was not right!" Usagi screeched. "I am so telling her what you said tomorrow!"

Laughter filled the room. They referenced a mutual friend who got pregnant at the end of last summer after she swore she found the man of her dreams. She had her baby shortly before the Senior/Junior prom and found out the person she loved most at the time left her because she could not fit back into a size three. Devastated, Makoto took her heart back and cared it back to health much the same way she cared for her baby, Raiu. For a while, Usagi and Rei noticed the spark missing from their friend's eyes but later a flame became apparent. The love of Makoto's life became Raiu and she would honestly do anything for him.

At eighteen the girls were in the last stretch of their senior year and the possibilities seemed endless to them all. Makoto, after school hours, stopped by to check on her son before leaving him once again with her mother so she could go to work without having to worry about him too much. Her dream was to one day open her own place much different than Motoki's arcade-slash-ice cream shop. Sometimes, Usagi and Rei would visit her at the arcade so that Makoto wouldn't be the last to hear the juiciest bite of gossip. Or they would just sit at a booth waiting for time to pass as they sipped their shakes, just enjoying each others' company.

"She's living her life the best she can!" Usagi pointed out. "She'd never wish for anything to turn out differently than it has."

Rei shrugged, "You're right."

"Besides, this has nothing to do with you." Usagi stated. "Unless you want Yuuichirou to screw you over royally, which you don't."

Rei scooted off her chair and met Usagi down on the floor. "How'd I ever get so lucky to get you as such a great friend?"

Usagi lifted a finger to her temple as if truly contemplating this question before she smiled and reminded her friend, "Well, it all started when you called me Odango Atama! So I knocked over your milkshake – on purpose! – to make sure it hit you." Usagi tilted her head as if the memory was a foggy one. "Then you started yelling at me, saying something about how much of a stupid, ditzy klutz I was." Usagi shoved Rei when the dark headed girl started to laugh to quiet her down so that she could finish her recap. "I guess I proved you right when all I did in response was stick my tongue out at you."

Rei burst into laughter. "I was thrown for a loop! Of course, then we were – what? – fourteen. All I could do was stick my tongue right back out at you!"

Usagi lay on the floor and rolled towards Rei, causing her to fall down onto the floor herself. They laughed until tears seeped from their eyes and they couldn't catch their breath. "I sat down at that booth with you and just laughed."

"If you were anyone else I would have killed you." Rei stated, completely serious. "For some reason though, all I did was laugh too; then apologized."

"Yeah, me too," Usagi sighed at the memory.

Rei lifted her head into her hands and watched Usagi. "That seems like such a long time ago."

Usagi shrugged. "Four years is a long time."

Rei folded her arms across each other and lowered her head to them. Usagi curled on her side so that they looked like a misshapen L if anyone were to look at them. Their faces stayed a couple feet from each other as they continued to converse.

"So, anyway," Usagi started, ready to change the subject. "When's your brother coming?"

"Wondering if he's cute?" Rei said; her voice in a sing-song tune.

Usagi shook her head, "I already know what he looks like, I mean, he looks like someone who loves video games a little too much."

Rei gasped. "I can't believe you even noticed that picture." She laughed. "I'm so glad I never had to wear coke-bottle glasses like that."

Usagi giggled. "Maybe I would have called you four-eyes that day."

"Whatever Odango," Rei smirked.

Usagi pulled her friends hair, "Four-eyes."

"Not!" Rei exclaimed. "Anyway, he doesn't look like that anymore."

"Is he hot?"

"I don't know! He's my brother." Rei argued.

Usagi immediately put up a defense, "You could rate your brother on looks, you know, to help a friend out."

"You're not going to try to get with my brother."

"I never said I was!" The blond shrieked, standing up again, and paced the floor. "I was just asking."

"Good, because best friend's brothers are off-limits," Rei informed.

"Says who?" Usagi asked and crossed her arms.

"Me," a deep voice greeted the two.

The girls turned their heads to the newcomer. Usagi took in this guy's appearance, from his tennis shoes to his casual blue jeans and maroon sweater. Quickly her eyes took in his lean form and the muscles that were apparent underneath, his white smile and clear blue eyes and jet black hair. Only her best friend could catch the look on Usagi's face for a split second that read: _shit, he's hot_.

After Rei ran up to hug her brother fiercely and with a wide, knowing grin, she introduced Usagi and Mamoru. Mamoru held out his hand and Usagi took it even though her stomach flipped from the feel of his hand in hers. She pushed the feeling aside, blaming it on the fact that she was not expecting him to appear in the doorway just then when they were talking about him.

Mamoru graduated a little over four years ago and left home to study abroad in North America. In the entire time Mamoru was in America, he had only come home to visit once and that was just because their grandfather passed away. He always claimed to have so little time in the states to do much of anything else than go to work, school and then study when he was home. He told Rei everything about his experience there and Usagi listened politely.

They were still standing in Rei's room, when she clapped her hands together as an idea hit her, "Oh my God! Mamoru, you have to go see Motoki."

Mamoru and Motoki had been fairly good friends growing up. Honestly, Motoki probably knew more about Mamoru than a lot of other people, save his family. He nodded and turned to leave and the girls followed in tow. Mamoru opened the front door for the two girls as they quickly moved passed him and down the sidewalk without stopping to wait on him.

Rei and Usagi barged into the arcade when they arrived, automatically calling for Motoki rather loudly to get his attention before Mamoru caught up with them. Makoto smiled as the girls entered and went to the back to fetch Motoki in hopes to quiet them down. Once he emerged from the back, the girls ran up to him.

"Motoki, I have a surprise for you!" Rei exclaimed.

The blond man raised his eyebrows, "What would that be?"

"A very good friend you haven't seen in a while." She explained. Rei looked over at Usagi and grinned before looking to the double doors to find her brother.

About that moment, Mamoru entered the arcade, cool, calm and collected. Rei shoved Usagi down into the booth next to where they were standing and then sat down with her. They watched the exchange between the two. A firm handshake held between a quick, one-armed hug and then Mamoru followed Motoki to the bar and sat down on a barstool. That way he could talk to Motoki as he worked.

A few moments later, Makoto joined the girls sitting in the booth across the room. "Who's the hottie?" She asked as she sat down across from them and set the girl's usual orders in front of them.

"My brother," Rei gleamed. She stirred the contents of her raspberry malt.

"I didn't know you had a brother," the brown headed girl said.

"That seems to be the topic of today," Usagi smirked and took a sip of her double dark chocolate shake.

Elbowing her friend, Rei explained to Makoto how he had been away for four years going to school in America. Now that he had graduated, he was back to find a job and eventually a place to live outside of his mother's home. Rei pouted at this but shrugged all the same, "At least he isn't moving halfway across the world again."

"You'll get to see him more often," Usagi agreed.

"Makoto!" Motoki yelled as a group of customers entered the double doors, "Get to work!"

"Aye, aye, Cap'in!" Makoto mock saluted him, standing up from her seat and sighed. "Sometimes he can be so demanding." She walked off, laughing, to take the other customer's orders.

Mamoru took the place Makoto had vacated just a minute before. "I forgot how good a friend Motoki is." He reached over the table and mussed Rei's hair. "Thanks for reminding me."

Straightening her hair back out, Rei shrugged. "Sometimes you need a sister to help open up your eyes."

---

_You don't have to tell me that I need to chill out with the ideas for the stories that I'm coming up with. I know. But. I. Can't. Help. It!_

_I'm thinking about taking _From One Broken Heart to Another_ down again, re-writing it and then posting it back up. Or maybe I'll leave it up, re-write it... finish it... then take it down and start reposting it. Eh, let me know. The next _Echo_ chapter is on it's way out too. _

_Anyway, this is another story that I'm putting my everything into. I really really really love the idea behind this. eh. Whatever. lol. It's been a long day and I have school in the morning._


	2. So Sweet

My Best Friend's Brother  
Written by: Jill Annette

**CHAPTER TWO – SO SWEET**

Usagi was contemplating how she would approach Yuuichirou. It was Friday afternoon and the blond had an hour and a half before school let out and she would have to wait two whole days before she would be able to get the chance to speak with him again, unless of course she happened to run into him over the weekend and unless she _happened_ to steal his phone number from Rei. She was searching her head trying to remember if she had even seen him today when the devil himself walked passed her locker.

"Yuuichirou!" Usagi called, slammed the door to her locker shut and ran over to him. He stopped in the middle of the hall, a sea of students divided around him, and turned around to face her. "I have to talk to you."

"'Bout what babe?" He asked. Yuuichirou was a senior like the girls. Although, unlike the girls, this was his second time around.

Yuuichirou was more or less a slacker. He wasn't stupid, far from it in fact, he just didn't care to do his work. Plus it seemed he was always getting into trouble with some higher authority. When asked why he didn't care about school, he'd reply, "It's not that I don't care, it's just not my main focus." No one had to ask what his main focus was. Especially when headphones seem to be glued inside of his ears and his I-pod was never off. He was always writing some form of lyrics along with notes splayed across a page.

"A mutual friend," Usagi responded once he took his aforementioned headphones out of his ears.

His form changed dramatically. Yuuichirou hunched over a little bit, took a couple steps closer to Usagi, "Rei?" he asked although there was no need.

Usagi nodded.

Yuuichirou threw his hands up as if in defense, as if he knew what Usagi was going to ask, "I'm just trying to figure some things out, okay?"

"So you're going to throw her emotions into a blender just so you can figure out if you really care for her or not? Because I know you do!"

Yuuichirou bowed his head. "Look, Usagi," he started, lifting his head to face the blond, "I do. I care for her a lot." He ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair, "I just don't want to bring her down."

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean." He said sternly. "I have to straighten my life out."

Usagi shook her head. "She likes you just the way you are."

"She may like me, Usagi, but she doesn't know everything I bring."

"I don't understand."

Yuuichirou's brown eyes met her blues, "I'm not exactly single."

"Not exactly?"

"It's complicated." He stated; then walked off before Usagi could keep the conversation going.

Usagi stood in the middle of the hall watching Yuuichirou's form. Here was a man who claimed he cared for Rei and yet there was still another woman in his life. Usagi did not understand why people stayed together with someone they didn't want if the person they wanted more than anything was standing right in front of them. The bell rang loudly, interrupting Usagi's thoughts and told her she was late for class.

---

Rei walked ahead of Usagi, fuming. Usagi knew to stay a few feet behind her friend while she was sifting through her anger. They walked in silence until they got to the corner of the main street than ran past the park. Rei then turned on Usagi her dark blue eyes shining violet with anger, burning bright.

"You know he wouldn't even look at me!" Rei yelled. "Much less speak to me!"

Usagi jumped back, shocked, her hands coming to her mouth, "I'm sorry."

"You should be!" Rei threw her hands in the air. "I mean, you've probably ruined every chance I had with him."

"I was trying to push him closer to you," Usagi tried to explain. "I thought if I gave him a little extra help, he'd know that you felt the same way and he'd approach you."

"Well, it did just the opposite, Usagi."

"I'm sorry for that."

"Whatever." Rei flipped a piece of her hair behind her ear then stated sharply, "You know, you can go home. Don't bother coming over today."

Shocked that Rei took it so hard, Usagi bowed her head. "I was just trying to help," she murmured.

Rei shook her head, turning on her heels, with her back to Usagi she said, "Don't try anymore." Then she stormed off.

Usagi turned the opposite way of Rei to head to her own home. The blond didn't even bother to take the shortcut through the park; instead she took the path around it to pass the time that would move painstakingly slow with out the company of her friend. She kept her tears in until she got home and walked passed her mom who questioned why Usagi was home so early instead of at Rei's. Ikuko Tsukino furrowed her eyebrows when her daughter just shook her head in response and then went upstairs.

Dropping to her bed, Usagi let the tears fall. All she wanted was the best for her friend and now the worst has happened. Rei wasn't even speaking to her anymore. Of course, the spat could be short-lived – hopefully – but that knowledge didn't make it hurt any less. She curled up into a ball and after a few minutes, she fell asleep with the weariness that crying brings.

---

Mamoru was in the kitchen when his sister stormed into the house and started slamming doors around. He waited two beats longer than he thought he should have for Usagi to walk through the front door behind his sister. When Usagi did not show up, Mamoru took the initiative to figure out what was bothering Rei. He knocked on the door once before swinging the door open. Rei was sitting Indian-style in the middle of her bed, arms crossed and a ferocious look on her face. Her black hair tumbled down her shoulders and spilled into her lap.

"What'd you guys fight about?" Mamoru asked as he leaned on her door frame.

"What makes you think I'm fighting anyone?"

"Usagi didn't come over today _and_ you're acting pissed, I just put two and two together."

Rei uncrossed her legs and fell back on the bed. She let a groan escape her lips, "Go away!"

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on," Mamoru crossed his arms and took a step further into her room.

For minutes Rei just lay on her bed and tried to ignore the fact that her brother was standing five feet away from her waiting for an answer. Sometimes she wished they were kids again because then, they never really got along. Instead they fought like cats and dogs and couldn't stand each other. It wasn't until the last couple years in high school for Mamoru that they started to become friends instead of enemies. Fifteen minutes later, Rei looked up from her bed to find Mamoru still in her room patiently looking at her; then she sighed greatly.

"Fine!" she said exasperatedly. "Usagi's a blabber mouth." She crossed her arms again and looked away from Mamoru and at her window, wishing immediately that she had pulled the blinds up from time to time.

"She's spreading rumors about you?" Mamoru asked. "That doesn't sound like her at all."

Rei shook her head. "She didn't say anything that wasn't true. She just blurted out some things that I wish she would not have!"

Mamoru bowed his head. Staring at his sister's dark red carpet, Mamoru tried to find the right words to say to her. However, nothing came to him.

All of a sudden Rei sat up in her bed, swung her legs over the side and stared at Mamoru. "You know she found out that he _already_ has a girlfriend?"

Mamoru lifted his eyes from the floor to his sister's blue-violet eyes. "I would say that was good investigation."

Rei growled, "You wouldn't understand."

"I could try but you aren't helping me out any." Mamoru shoved a hand through his hair, frustrated at how evasive his sister could be at times. He turned to leave his sister with her thoughts when she started to speak again.

"She broke my heart." Rei confided in her brother. "I expected her to keep my feelings for this guy a secret but she had so much hope for us that she started to tell me that I should tell him how I felt. Usagi said she could see the way he looked at me and that it was the same look I gave him. She swore by this and whenever I didn't make my own move – and when he never did anything either – she took matters into her own hands. Now, Yuuichirou won't even look at me."

Mamoru had turned around to look at his sister while she spoke, as he faced her, he could see the hurt that emitted from her soul. He walked to the bed and sat down next to Rei, enveloped her in a brotherly hug, comfort like an old quilt and supportive like a crutch. "Do you think you're overreacting, maybe, just a little?"

Rei burrowed her head into her brother's shoulder but didn't answer.

"Rei, he might not be talking to you now but maybe he is thinking seriously about it. Maybe he was holding onto his girlfriend just because he didn't want to be alone and now that he knows he can have what he wants, he'll let her go and come to you."

His sister sat up, looked into Mamoru's eyes, hope filling her own once again. "You think?"

Mamoru shrugged. "We'll have to wait and find out, of course, but it is a good possibility."

Narrowing her eyes, Rei asked, "What makes you so sure?"

"Take it from a guy who has been in the same situation as Yoshiro before."

"Yuuichirou!" Rei screeched, laughing slightly.

"Whatever his name is." Mamoru scratched the back of his head. "Just make sure I approve first. I don't want to have to be wary of my sister's boyfriend whenever they go out."

Rei balled her fist and hit her brother. "I don't need you to choose who I date." She stated smugly. "I did a pretty good job of it myself while you were gone."

"You might think that but I never interviewed them, so we'll never know."

Rei _hmphed_ as she attempted to push her bother off her bed. He didn't budge.

Instead he asked his sister, "So what are you going to do about Usagi?"

Once again, Rei crossed her arms, a pout formed on her lips. "I'll talk to her Monday."

"Rei, that's three days away."

The girl shrugged. "She'll have that time to think about what upset me. She won't ever do it again." She said matter-of-factly.

Mamoru sighed, running an aggravated hand through his thick black hair. "It'll only cut the wound deeper and it'll take a longer time to heal."

---

Ikuko opened the door when the doorbell rang and her eyes fell on a tall, dark headed, very handsome man. "Can I help you?" She asked, not recognizing him, wondered who he had come to visit.

"I'm Chiba Mamoru, Rei's brother."

Ikuko stepped aside, "Come on in."

He took a step inside the house and immediately got down to business. "Rei's in the car, I made her come. She doesn't know it yet, but she wants to apologize to Usagi for reacting the way she did about something."

"Ah," Ikuko said nodding. "They did get in a fight."

"Something like that."

"She hasn't left her room since she's been home." Ikuko ushered Mamoru to Usagi's room, then left him standing outside of her daughter's door so that she could finish the supper she had been cooking.

Mamoru felt awkward as he knocked on her door. He had only met the girl yesterday and now here he was in her home, knocking on her door. The knob turned, the door creaked open slowly before it revealed Usagi; beautiful in all her disheveled glory. He watched as she quickly straightened her hair out and tried to smooth her rumpled clothing once she realized it was he at her door. Mamoru stifled a laugh.

"What?" She asked as she tucked one last strand of hair behind her ear.

"You look like hell," Mamoru said and let the smile he was choking on grace his features.

Usagi narrowed her eyes, "Whatever." She allowed herself to roll her eyes. "Why are you here?" She bit.

Mamoru grabbed Usagi's wrist and started to pull her down the stairs. "My sister seems to think that she can ignore you for absolutely no reason whatsoever."

"She has a reason," Usagi defended.

With a laugh, Mamoru replied, "She might have a reason but it isn't a good one." Once they reached the front door, Mamoru stopped and let Usagi's arm drop back to her side. "Point is, you were trying to help and you weren't putting out in the open what the two other parties involved didn't know already. Frankly, you just opened some eyes. For some people it's like hitting a brick wall; it hurts, but after a while the pain subsides, you get over it and life goes on. I also bet you'll never run into the brick wall again."

Usagi stared at Mamoru with a blank look. Confusion was evident.

Mamoru sighed. "You are the brick wall that stunned them into realizing that either I deal with this now or I never deal with it. I can go for what I want or I can let it pass and regret it the rest of my life."

Usagi watched Mamoru as he spoke. He had this whole situation figured out before even she did. Still, there was one thing she didn't know for sure. "So, _why_ are you here?"

"I brought Rei. She's out in the car."

Usagi laughed, tears caught in the corners of her eyes. He was so sweet and she had never met anyone like him who would try to keep two friends together over a silly little fight. "Thank you," she said through her laughter, reached up and grabbed him in a quick hug and then walked out the door to talk to Rei.

Mamoru stood there, baffled. He couldn't for the life of him figure out what was so damn funny.

---

_Thanks to those of you who have reviewed. I appreciate it greatly._

_I did take_ From One Broken Heart to Another_ down. I'm re-writing it because I feel it could be so much better and, well, I need to change a few things about it to make it work out the way I want it to. So once I fix everything in it, I'll post it back up. I've had quite a few people ask about me updating it before I took it down. Don't worry those of you who are wanting to read it. It'll be back up... and probably under a new name._


	3. Attraction Begins

My Best Friend's Brother  
Written by: Jill Annette

**CHAPTER THREE – ATTRACTION BEGINS**

After Usagi and Rei made up, Mamoru took them for a bite of ice cream. Still tender from the biting remarks earlier today, the two girls were not speaking with abundance as they usually did. Instead the silence felt slightly awkward and had a certain weight to it that hindered easy conversation but known to eventually dissipate. Just when the trio had finished their sundaes, the bells to the ice cream shop jingled and in walked a tall, skinny brunette who caught their attention. Yuuichirou walked up to them, noticeably nervous. With his hands shoved in his pockets he asked to talk to Rei, alone. Regarding herself, Rei looked at her companions and slowly stood from the booth and followed the object of her desire to the other, less crowded, part of the room.

Mamoru whipped his head towards Usagi. "Yuuichirou?"

With a small smile on her face, Usagi nodded. "I told her all she needed was to wait."

Leaning back in the booth, Mamoru analyzed Usagi. He wondered what made her so sure of herself. "How are you always so optimistic?"

Usagi shrugged. "I'm not."

"Could have fooled me," Mamoru stated; then looked back to his sister, keeping a wary eye on her.

---

"What's this all about?" Rei asked, crossing her arms once they reached a secluded table. "Earlier today you wouldn't even look at me?"

"I had to think about some things earlier today." Yuuichirou admitted. "Right now, I need to tell you some things."

"You could have called," Rei pointed out with a bite to her words.

"Why are you so angry?"

Dropping her arms on the table in front of her, Rei sighed. "I'm not angry. I've been through somewhat of an emotional roller coaster today. I might be a little aggravated, not angry."

Yuuichirou grabbed her hands and pulled them closer to him. Rei sucked in her breath at the intimacy of the gesture and leaned in closer to hear what he had to say. Taking one hand from hers, he raked a hand through his messy mane, and started to speak, returning the hand. "Usagi let me in on a few things today."

"I know," Rei's voice hardened just a hint.

"Of course, they were things I might have been skeptical of in the fist place, just not entirely sure. Plus, I _had_ a girlfriend." Yuuichirou sighed. "I guess you could say I had to tie some loose ends before I had this talk with you, knowing for sure that you feel the same way that I do."

Why was he making this into a speech? Rei sat impatiently in front of the brown headed god before her and urged him to get to the point. She already knew her answer and he was just _blah blah blah-ing_ his way through the nitty-gritty. Who cared if he _had_ a girlfriend four hours ago? Yuuichirou didn't have her now and he was about to have a new one. The best one he would ever have.

".. Go out sometime?" he finished.

"Huh?" Rei asked, snapping back into the present.

"I was wondering if we could go out sometime."

Rei nodded mutely, her royal eyes never left his.

---

It was Saturday evening and Yuuichirou was going to pick Rei up at 6:00. That way they could eat dinner before the promise of a great local band (not his) that was playing at a bar downtown. Usagi was sitting on Rei's bed – her usual spot when in Rei's room – for moral support.

She would tell Rei that what she had picked out was fine, fabulous and flattering before the dark headed fireball of a girl would huff rather loudly and tear her clothes off, slinging them across the room only to drag something else out of the closet and slip it on. Too bad her clothes were short lived.

"That!" Usagi exclaimed when Rei tugged on a red v-neck shirt with black and white flowers rising up one side. With it she wore a black skirt that flared out the smallest bit and stopped mid-calf. Her shoes were simple black sandals with white straps.

Rei twirled in the mirror to get an all around view of herself before she shrugged and looked at her friend. "Okay." Flicking a long strand of her black hair behind her shoulder, Rei sat at her desk and started to sort through her makeup bag. "What do you think about makeup?"

"You don't need it," Usagi said simply. She received a desperate look from Rei. Usagi sighed. "Oh, if you must wear some, a little mascara, _maybe_ eye-liner and lip gloss. You don't want to go too dolled up because, honestly, when has he seen you with globs of makeup on? He knows you for you."

Rei smiled and wondered how Usagi ever became so smart when it came to dressing up. "You're right."

In truth, Rei was not much for makeup. Of course, from time to time you could catch her in the complete get-up but on a daily basis it was not her thing. Usagi walked up behind Rei and started to brush her long dark locks. Rei applied her makeup as Usagi made sure every single tangle was out of her hair.

Just as Rei dabbed the last bit of gloss on her lips the doorbell rang. A moment later there was a knock on her bedroom door and then Mamoru's head poked in through the crack, "Date's here."

Rei looked to Usagi, who quickly gave her a thumb's up and followed her down the hall to the dining room where Yuuichirou waited patiently near the door. They exchanged niceties before he escorted Rei out the door and to his car. Usagi sighed as the front door closed, relief lifting off her shoulders. It wasn't until Mamoru let out a chuckle that she even remembered he was in the dining room as well.

"What?" she demanded.

"Nothing." Mamoru shook his head. A slight hesitation, then: "It's just, with Rei gone, what do you have planned to do?"

Usagi shrugged, just now thinking about the situation herself. "I could always go home," she suggested, however, she knew she would be bored to tears if she actually did go home.

"I just rented _Inside Man_ and _Lucky # Slevin _if you wanted to stay for a while," He said as he scratched his jaw. Then he shoved his hands in his pockets as he tried to suppress whatever it was he was feeling, "I mean, if you wanted to. It's just an option. Maybe by the time the movies are over Rei will be home."

Usagi nodded, "That'll be cool. I really didn't want to go home." The blond practically skipped into the kitchen and started to search the pantry for the box of kettle corn she knew was hidden in there somewhere to pop.

Mamoru kept himself from laughing out at the site. It was a little strange to watch someone he only met a couple days ago in his house as she rummaged through his stuff and _knew_ where everything was. Then again, this was Rei's best friend and she has been around for the four years that he had been in another country.

"Are you going to get the movies ready?" Usagi asked. She glanced over her shoulder waiting for Mamoru's response.

She was in front of the microwave, waiting patiently for the popcorn to finish. Her hair tumbled down her shoulders, a gold halo. The view of her back was nervewreckingly beautiful. Her shorts were just short enough to see all of her legs, her hair hid the slim of her back as it brushed the waiste of her jeans. To keep himself from undressing her with his eyes, Mamoru nodded and walked into the living room to start a DVD. "Which movie?" he asked, pushing the thoughts of her out of his head.

Usagi shrugged, staring intently at the microwave before she realized Mamoru had gone into the other room. "Doesn't matter," she said for him to hear.

He walked back into the kitchen just as the popping of the corn was spaced into three second intervals. "Pick an arm," he demanded from right behind her.

She pressed the open button to the microwave, sending the door swinging open, random pops sounded every so often. Usagi turned around to face Mamoru her eyes focusing from one arm to another. This was when she realized just how muscular his arms were. She backed up a little bit before the counter stopped her and found herself in the heat of the popcorn. Not sure why she leaned back, Usagi continued to figure out which arm she wanted to choose to wrap around her waist pulling her closer into him and the other to . . .

"It's an easy question Usagi," he smirked as if he knew what she was thinking.

With a light blush rising on her cheeks, Usagi absentmindedly said, "Left."

Bringing the movie from behind his back, Mamoru smiled, "_Inside Man_, good choice."

Mamoru left her in the kitchen and for some reason Usagi was having a hard time breathing. Where had this attraction come from? It had hit so suddenly.

"You bringing the popcorn?" Mamoru asked from the living room and snapped Usagi out of her thoughts.

"Yeah," she said softly.

Quickly, she grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and poured the popcorn into it and then walked into the living room as he pressed the play button on the remote. He smiled at her as she sat down on the couch with him, with a good amount of space between them, and sat the bowl on the table in front of them.

"Perfect timing," he joked as the opening scene started.

"Thanks for waiting," she smarted.

---

They sat on a bench in the middle of Juuban's Park. Mizuno Ami sat in the middle of Usagi and Rei. Ami was another mutual friend who had been on a school trip the week before touring Germany. Even as Ami's grades sky-rocketed, she loved to sing and when the choir class opted to go compete in Germany – along with a magnificent tour of course – Ami started to prepare almost immediately.

She was a bubble of excitement the couple days before her plane was scheduled to leave and of course, now that she was back, she could not quit talking about her experience. The time she spent there and what the class did. In fact, she came home with a boyfriend: Urawa Ryo. Rei and Usagi took bits of her enthusiasm and encased it within themselves so that way they could remember it at a later time.

The girls filled Ami in on everything she missed while she was gone. Though Ami was not much of a gossiper herself, she couldn't help but listen to her friends as they rambled on. Soon Makoto joined them at the park, Raiu perched on her hip.

"What'd you end up doing Saturday night, Usagi?" Makoto asked innocently once Rei giddily told the group about her date with Yuuichirou.

Fighting a blush, she replied meekly, "Nothing."

"You did something," Ami stated simply. "Your cheeks are red."

"I didn't do anything, I waited for Rei to come back home," Usagi defended herself.

In truth, she really did not do a thing, besides sit in the same spot for a few hours watching the movies Mamoru had. She tried to keep the talking to a minimum and concentrated solely on the television screen, afraid of the attraction she had for Mamoru. Thoughts of what could happen occupied her mind most of the night: _How weird would it be if we ended up hooking up? What if it didn't work out? How could Rei and I keep being friends? It would be so awkward coming around the house all the time and the chance of him being there would be humiliating! Why am I thinking this?_

Usagi wasn't sure the thoughts had ever left her pretty little head.

"She watched movies with my brother," Rei answered for her. "She doesn't know how to survive without me. Everything is boring."

However, that wasn't entirely true. There were plenty of times she had fun without Rei. It was just, nine times out of ten, Rei was with her anyway. Usagi just smiled.

How was she going to keep this from Rei? If her attraction grew, Rei would pick up on it. Just like Rei picked up the static between her and Seiya Kou during their sophomore year. If Usagi didn't know any better she would have said that Rei was a psychic.

---

_Three chapters down... so many more to go. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! I'm glad this story is hitting it off so well. )_


	4. Interference

_My apologies for this taking FOREVER and a day to get out. More at the end of the chapter._

My Best Friend's Brother  
Written by: Jill Annette

**CHAPTER FOUR – INTERFERENCE**

"Well, well," a feminine voice found its way to Mamoru's ears, "if it isn't Chiba."

Mamoru did not have to turn around to know who was standing behind him. He had been at the arcade for some time to catch up a little more with Motoki. That and his sister's friend was over at the house, _again_. It was as if their home was Usagi's as well and that did not help Mamoru any. Good lord, how was he supposed to ignore a girl he was attracted to – a girl who was barely legal – if he had to see her ever single day?

His thoughts were brought back to the present when a cool hand landed on his back and trailed across the plane of his shoulders, down his arm and rested at his wrist. Aino Minako: bleach blond hair, baby blue eyes, and perfect heart shaped lips. It was no wonder the modeling agency found her so young. Even in childhood, Mamoru could remember Minako missing classes for photo shoots. What he could not fathom was the fact that she chose to stay in Juuban when she could travel the world.

A genuine smile graced his features as Minako took the stool next to his. "None other," he said.

She flipped a strand of hair over her shoulders and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, a sly smile on her own lips. Her sultry gaze captivated him as it always had in the past. His eyes landed on her lips as Minako began to speak, "So, what brings you back?"

He turned his stool towards Minako so that he could face her, enough with this sideways, flirtatious glancing. Mamoru was going to face this demon head on. He grabbed the sides of her stool and made Minako face him as well. Their knees rested together. "Work brought me back." He watched Minako raise an eyebrow. "Why are you _still_ here?"

She smirked and shook her head, her yellow hair swished side to side. "What makes you think I never left?" Minako glanced at her tiny gold watch, "Darn, I can't stay and chat." She stood up, smoothed her skirt down and turned to leave. On second thought, she turned back around, "Maybe we should go out sometime? Catch up for old time's sake."

Mamoru shrugged as he watched the girl walk out of his sight for the second time in his life.

---

They were an item at one point in time, Mamoru and Minako. The two had dated for nearly two years but when Mamoru was accepted to a North American school and Minako decided to keep her modeling career in Japan, things changed. Minako would tell Mamoru that if he loved her like he said he would stay with her here. She never understood the reason why he wanted to go to a university on the other side of the world when he could get as good an education here, close to home. Close to her. She did not understand the cultural differences between Japan and America and what he would be learning outside of class as well as in.

So when Mamoru decided that he was going to America no matter what she had to say about it, Minako – literally – shoved Mamoru out of her life.

"I'm done," she had screamed at him. "Done, done, done!"

"Minako, it's only four years," he had tried to convince her, console her. "Plus, I'll come back during the holidays."

"No you won't. You might come back the first time, but not the second." Tears rolled down her face but she would not let Mamoru wipe them away. "It's over," she sobbed.

Even with her face red and blotchy, her nose runny, Minako was beautiful. Her heart was breaking, definitely, but she was doing it to herself. Mamoru did not want to break the ties they had, the knots they made. However, the knots were not made strong enough to last distance apparently. Especially if Minako would not even give it a try.

"Leave," Minako whispered. When Mamoru did not budge, Minako said it louder: "Leave." However, Mamoru did not make a quick enough effort to get out of Minako's site before she started pushing him out the front door of her house, down the concrete of her driveway and into the dark street. "I don't want to see you again. Ever!" Her sob echoed throughout the night and she turned away from Mamoru and walked inside disappearing from his view.

---

Usagi glanced up as she heard the front door open. When she saw it was Mamoru, Usagi quickly lowered her head back down to the comic she was reading. In that split second though, the blond was able to take in his appearance. Mamoru's dark hair fell into his eyes, his gray t-shirt clung to his muscles (those muscles she had only recently noticed when he got too close to her on their movie night), and how his blue jeans clung to his hips.

"Reading a naughty manga?" he asked, as he passed her.

"No!" Usagi defended herself, "Why?"

"You're blushing," he called to her from across the room.

Thank heaven's he was already in the hallway or he would have witnessed an even deeper shade of crimson spread across her face as she realized she was caught. Just as Usagi cooled herself down, Rei entered the room.

"I'm so completely bored!" She huffed, tearing the comic from Usagi's hands and flinging it across the room. "Can we please go do something?"

For a moment, Usagi's eyes rested on her lost manga, sad to see it lying haphazardly on the floor a few feet away. Then her eyes traveled to Rei, whose eyes were daring her to grab that book back off the floor. Usagi knew that look. If she were to pick up the manga to read again, a fist would find its way into Usagi's thigh and leave a frog deep within her muscle. Feeling the phantom pain, Usagi smiled at Rei.

"Like what?" asked the blond.

Rei sighed. She pushed herself into the cushions of the couch, "I don't know," she exclaimed. "If I knew I wouldn't have asked you now would I?"

"Why don't we just go walk around the park," Usagi suggested, "see what trouble we can't find ourselves into."

---

The two had been walking for what seemed like hours when they decided to sit at one of the benches in the center of the park. It was a good area to sit. The bench overlooked a good portion of the park as well as the lake. Rei and Usagi people watched and talked about boys and school and the random person they happened to see walk by.

"I swear, is absolutely nothing is going on today?" Rei asked.

Usagi shrugged. It was a beautiful day out and it was honestly sad that they had to spend most of the daytime indoors because of school. "Maybe there's something going on that we're not aware of."

Rei groaned.

"What's got you so restless anyway?"

The raven headed girl shrugged.

"You do too know," Usagi murmured.

About that time an ice cream cart was rolling past the fields of the park. Rei jumped to her feet, as excited as a dog about to play fetch. "I'm getting some ice cream, you want some?"

Usagi shook her head. "I'll wait here."

She watched her friend run to the ice cream man and rifle through the flavors he had, trying to decide through the bunch. Usagi lifted her eyes to the sky and watched the pinks and purples and oranges meld together as the sun set. There were no clouds in the sky and the air was crisp. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Today would have been a great day to relax. Again, too bad they had school earlier.

Usagi opened her eyes and found bright green orbs peering down on her. There was only one person she knew who had eyes so green they reminded a person of spring. The eyes that were peering down on her had brought her misery last year and heartache. Now they were haunting her. Usagi closed her eyes again and rubbed her hands down her face before she opened her cornflower blue eyes again.

Still, his image stayed in front of her. The image smiled. "Diamond," she whispered, having a hard time to believe that he was standing in front of her.

"Usagi."

God, his voice was still warm. All the memories of the last year rushed into her forethought; his shy smiles, his cool touch, his warm kisses and his hot betrayal. "You cheated on me."

Diamond shoved his hands in his pockets and bowed his head so that his eyes were hidden from her gaze. "I know."

Usagi turned her head to the right and looked for Rei, wondering what was taking her so long to get back. When she was not able to spot her friend, Usagi turned back to Diamond. His hair was longer now. It fell past his shoulder, a waterfall of silvery-blue (some kind of manic-panic color he used religiously). His features still caught her breath but when she remembered what he did to her repulsed her.

"Look," Diamond started to explain himself in her silence. "I didn't hunt you down or anything, so don't think that."

Usagi shook her head, "I wasn't."

"I just, I noticed you sitting by yourself, and I thought, what good a time is this, if not any other," he scratched his head. "Okay?"

She sighed, her impatience getting the better of her, "I'm not going anywhere, just spit it out."

"Can we start over?"

Usagi scoffed, and shook her head. "You've got a lot of nerve! To think after all this time, after what you did to me –"

Diamond threw his hands in the air and Usagi abruptly stopped when he took a step closer to her. "I didn't mean it like that." He took another step towards Usagi, closing the gap between them. "I meant before that. To be friends again."

Usagi shook her head sadly, letting the tendrils of hair that fell from her ponytail tickle her face. "You have to trust your friends."

"Fine, I'll start as a mindless peony." Diamond stated. "I'll be that person that hangs around, the person that you can't stand until I gain your trust again. I'll never ask to be with you again." He said with a sigh. "Just friends, I promise."

Usagi sighed. She silently nodded and would have said yes if Rei had not interfered at that moment. "What the hell are you doing in a five foot radius of my friend?" Her voice was stern, her blue-violet eyes burning with rage.

Diamond held up his hands in surrender and without saying a word walked away from the temperamental girl. Rei's gaze softened more and more the distance Diamond put himself between them.

"Sorry I wasn't here to keep him from getting close to you." Rei said as she licked her lips, "but that ice cream sure was delish!"

Usagi laughed. "No problem. I think we actually made some sort of amends."

Rei nodded and grabbed Usagi's hands and pulled her up to her feet. "Let's go home."

---

_It all started with a kidney infection. Then catching back up with school work. Then getting a second job. And the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into days. And before we know it, it has been two months and I haven't updated ANYTHING._

_I **will** work on one story at a time. That is my promise now._

_A la momento, it is My Best Friend's Brother. Then maybe I'll finish Melting. THEN Soulmates: Reincarnated OR You Don't See Me. I haven't decided which of those yet. I'm not sure which story is what. But after these four, I'll start working on one of the ones that I have taken down for lack of progress. And so on, until I get every idea written and out and THEN I'll start on something new._

_Next chapter should be out soon. Keep reading (and reviewing)!_

_Much Love,_

_Jill Anette._


	5. Cold Night

_I edited a few things, 12-7-06._

My Best Friend's Brother  
Written by: Jill Annette

**CHAPTER FIVE – COLD NIGHT**

"It's so cold!" Rei exclaimed as she shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket and snuggled closer to her boyfriend. You heard right, her boyfriend! She smiled at the thought and rested her head beneath his chin.

"It's November, what'd you expect?"

Usagi, off to the side of her friends, rolled her eyes. Just a couple weeks ago Rei was eating ice cream in the park and now she was complaining about it being _so cold_. The blond shook her head and told herself to stop acting as if she were jealous of her friend and Yuuichirou. She peeked out of the corner of her eyes, watched as the two shared a kiss and then she sighed. She kicked at the dirt beneath her feet. Okay, so she could not help but feel jealous for what her friend had: love. Dejectedly, Usagi stood up from the porch swing and started inside the house.

Rei looked up from the hollow of Yuuichirou's neck and asked, "Where are you going?"

"Inside," Usagi smiled. "It's cold out here." Then she shrugged before stepping inside.

The house was much warmer. Usagi caught a glimpse of Mr. Hino down the hall as he slipped into his bedroom. Mrs. Hino herself had passed away years before Rei and Usagi became friends. Usagi did not know much about Mrs. Hino because Rei never gave too much information about her. If she sorted through her memory hard enough, Usagi remembered that Rei mentioned that her mother used to smell like lilacs and her hair was so black some people pointed out purple gleams when the light hit it just right.

Mr. Hino was another story altogether. Usagi did not see much of him. He was almost always at work or inside his bedroom. There were a few times Usagi caught him in the kitchen or the living room but she never got much out of him. Still, Mr. Hino knew who she was, she had no doubt about that and he was perfectly lucid. He was just a broken man.

"It's why I went to school to be a therapist."

Usagi jumped at the sound of Mamoru's voice. "I- I didn't, I wasn't—"

Mamoru shook his head. "I know what your thinking." He pulled Usagi over to a door that was always shut and she had never ventured into. "It's written all over your face."

The door led to a small closet. Despite its small size, the storage was filled to the gills with memorabilia of a woman who no longer existed. Photos were spilling out of a box on top of the layers of other boxes. On top was an eight-by-ten photograph of their mother and their father smiling as if nothing could ever go wrong in their life. They were much younger and so much more hopeful.

Mamoru shut the door fast and it sounded down the hall and up the stairs, echoing the truth. "It still hurts to look at her."

Usagi looked up to see Mamoru's face but he had turned around and left the room. She debated on either going back outside to not watch Rei and Yuuichirou make out and enjoy their company or following Mamoru for about two second before she bolted up the stairs two steps at a time.

"Mamoru!" she exclaimed.

His bedroom door flew open. Mamoru stuck his head out and grinned. "Don't want to be left alone?"

Usagi shook her head. "And your sister is kind of busy."

Mamoru nodded his head to the back of his room, an invitation for her to join him. "I bet the real reason you're here is because you want to hear about my mother."

Usagi shrugged as she sat on his bed.

He told her. There was no hesitation as he began his story from one of the earliest memoreis of his mother as she came home from the hospital with a bundle in her arms. The bundle was his sister, Rei. Indeed she smelled of lilacs. Mrs. Hino would take them out to the park to play. In fact her whole life was for her kids. Then one day, she came home and sat the family down around the table and told them what a doctor had told her when she went in for a check-up. Their mother never believed in keeping things from anyone, much less her children. Besides, children are much smarter than people might think and catch on a lot quicker than they hope.

A few years passed as the kids watched their mother deteriorate; watched as her sickness ate her from the inside out. Before long they did not even recognize her. Until one morning she didn't wake up. Rei was eight and Mamoru had turned fourteen just five days before. Though they were expecting for their mother to die, when it happened no one could accept it. It took a lot of time and ten years later, though the wounds still hurt, they had healed a good deal.

Somehow through the recollection of his mother, Usagi and Mamoru ended up lying side by side on his bed. They were facing each other, faces inches apart.

"And so, here I am." Mamoru finished.

"Here you are," Usagi said barely above a whisper.

She quickly glanced at his lips, she couldn't help it. They were so close and the bedroom was filled with so much emotion, so much love from this man. Usagi looked back into his deep blue eyes. Mamoru's eyes were so much different than Rei's. Her eyes were almost violet in color while Mamoru's eyes were the color of the sea at midnight. So dark a blue you could see your reflection but you could not tell the depth.

Usagi closed her eyes and wondered what it would be like to be able to stare into his eyes whenever she felt like it and not feel the slightest bit embarrassed. She wondered if he would be the kind of guy she could fall for and if he would catch her – or at the very least, fall with her.

A warmth spread around her and Usagi snapped her eyes open. Mamoru pulled the blankets over them and he brought her closer to him. "Thank you for listening to me."

Curled into his warmth, Usagi replied, "Thanks for telling me."

Instead of seeing his smile, Usagi felt it. His lips grazed her forehead as he wrapped his arms firmly around her.

"Just one thing," she whispered onto his collar bone.

"Mm-hmm." Usagi could feel his vocal cords vibrate against her cheek as he responded.

"What are we doing?"

"Getting warm." Mamoru's reply was simple, steady. "It's cold outside."

---

"Usagi!" Rei's voice traveled through the house. "Usagi! Where are you hiding?"

The door swung open on its hinges, waking the sleeping pair.

"Mamoru have –"

The girl stopped in mid-sentence, mouth ajar. In front of her were her brother and her best friend. In bed. Together. Rei coughed.

Usagi slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes. Her blond hair was in a disarray of tangles. Rei flinched as the blanket fell from her shoulders, almost afraid of what would (a naked Usagi) or would not (her clothes) be behind the blanket. The sable headed girl sighed in relief when she found her friend fully clothed. Mamoru had long since jumped out of the bed and tried to slide out of the room but Rei caught him at the door.

"What in the world is going on?" Rei asked, her eyes shot from her brother to Usagi and back again.

"Definitely not what you think." Mamoru scratched the back of his head.

Usagi nodded, "Yeah, it was cold."

Mamoru all but groaned at Usagi's comment. His sister was going to blow a fuse.

"It was cold?!" Rei exclaimed. "Cold? So you jump in bed with my brother?"

Usagi shook her head, "That's not how it happened."

"Ugh!" Rei threw her hands in the air, "Whatever."

"Rei, listen—" Mamoru tried, reaching out to put a hand on his sister's shoulder.

However, Rei shook his hand off and grabbed Usagi and dragged her out of the room. "Let's just go to bed in _my _room before my brother tries to take advantage of you."

Usagi glanced back at Mamoru as Rei escorted her to her room. The fair-haired girl managed a small wave good-bye before she was shoved into a door at the opposite end of the upstairs hallway. The entire time (which was really just a few seconds) Usagi thought that she would not mind being taken advantage of, if it was Mamoru who was taking advantage of her.

The door slammed behind the two girls and made even Rei, herself, jump. "Now, explain to me how this happened."

And Usagi began the story.

---

Honestly, all Mamoru wanted to do at the moment was laugh. How many sisters walk in on their brothers with their best friends? Not that he and Usagi were doing anything. No, just sleeping – or acting like they were sleeping. They were fully clothed and hands were in respectable areas.

Maybe it was just the fact that he was thinking of moving his hands from those respectable areas and to more sensitive places on Usagi's body about the time his sister barged in. Not that Mamoru would have violated Usagi.

Mamoru fell onto his bed. He had worked himself up a little, he guessed, when he told Usagi about his mother. There was so much left over emotion from the story he had to put it somewhere and holding onto the small blond helped. Of course he did not feel anything for her. Did he? He summoned her in his thoughts: her blond hair, baby blue eyes, and thin, curving, developing body. Mamoru groaned. Okay, he had to admit it to himself that she was attractive and he was attracted.

---

"Do you like my brother?" Rei asked out of the blue.

The girls were lying in Rei's bed and Usagi was half asleep once Rei decided to start asking questions again. Usagi spent a good portion of an hour explaining to Rei the events of the evening which, to her, was anti-climactic. Usagi mumbled in her attempt to go to sleep and made no sense. Rei shook her and asked again. The blond really did not want to answer this question.

"Usagi!" Rei yelled.

"What?" she whined, rolling over to face Rei. "You're going to wake up the whole neighborhood."

Rei laughed, turned to her friend and said, "Well, if you don't answer my question, I'm going to try real hard."

Usagi whimpered. "I just want to sleep."

"Or," Rei shrugged. "I'll just take your avoidance of the question as a yes."

"I really don't know Rei." Usagi said, burying her head into the pillow.

"It's a simple question really." Rei said. "I was just wondering, you know." She looked into Usagi half-opened eyes to make sure she had her friend's attention. "I mean, it'd just be weird having my best friend and brother date."

Usagi nodded and closed her eyes. "I know," she whispered.

Still, Usagi could not keep herself from thinking about how it felt to be held so close to his body, to be covered in his warmth.

"I just don't know who I'd choose if you guys got together and it didn't last." Rei whispered to her sleeping friend. "He's family but you're damn near family too."

The blond opened her eyes, "I wouldn't jeopardize our friendship like that Rei."

"Okay," Rei nodded and closed her eyes. "Okay," she repeated, convincing herself what her friend said was true.

Usagi reached out to Rei and pulled her close to try and keep the chill from reaching either of them.

"It's so cold," Usagi muttered beneath her breath.

---

I'm doing much better for those of you who asked. It's been a couple months so I've recouperated a great deal. I mean, for two months I did write (I think that's WAY more than enough time). lol. Anyway, I decided to give you some "attraction."

Hopefully it wasn't too corny. Plus of course, now you know what the deal is with Mamoru and Rei's parents... even though no one really asked. ;-) Keep it groovy.

Thanks for reading (and reviewing).


	6. Falling

My Best Friend's Brother  
Written by: Jill Annette

**CHAPTER SIX – FALLING**

It was one of the few times Usagi was at home, by herself, when she heard from Diamond again. Rei and Yuuichirou decided to spend the day together exploring the city. In the meantime, Usagi thought it best to _try_ to study for her upcoming tests, besides, after the midterms next week, it would be Spring break and after that, Graduation. However, after an hour and a half of moving things around in her room, applying lotion to her dry hands and skimming the latest issue of _Vogue_ – with a gorgeous blond model on the front cover – Usagi had probably studied for a total of ten minutes. Then her phone rang and Diamond's voice sounded on the other end of the line.

Okay, she could handle this. At least that's what she told herself and before Usagi could blink it seemed that she was standing in front of Diamond. They met in front of a café they were both familiar with and ordered coffee to go. Bundled up in jackets and scarves the two made their way down the busy sidewalks of Tokyo.

"Where's your other half?" Diamond asked.

Usagi shrugged as she took a sip from her hot Chai Tea. "She's with her boyfriend."

"And you're not with them?" he chuckled but it grated on Usagi's nerves a bit.

"We aren't joined at the hip, you know."

Diamond's cool gray gaze swept over her, "I can tell."

Usagi all but rolled her eyes at her ex-boyfriend. They walked in silence for a while and like always, no matter whom you were with or where you were headed to in the Juuban District, ended up in the park. The rolling green was in the middle of the district and it was very hard to take a walk and avoid it all together. Somehow during their walk and talk, Diamond reached out for Usagi's hand. He grasped her gloved fingers in his and pulled her to him.

"What do you want?" Usagi asked. She leaned back from his embrace to keep from getting too close to him.

"I want you back," Diamond said. "This is ridiculous!"

"No it isn't." She struggled to get out of his grasp but he held firm. His arms tightened around her keeping her from being able to move as easily.

"Yes it is," he demanded. "I've apologized. I've called myself stupid, careless. I let you get away. I'm taking you back."

"I don't trust you!" Usagi exclaimed as if this would make him stop. She could not remember how he talked her into hanging out with him. How he had convinced her that they could just be friends after everything they had been through in the past. He had cheated on her when they were a couple. She would be damned if he found a way to hurt her as a friend. Yet here he was, clutching her to him as if he would break her if she didn't comply with everything he wanted from her.

Diamond growled at her, his gray eyes darkening to coal. His eyebrows narrowed and he shoved her to the ground. Usagi let out a yelp as her feet crumbled beneath her and she landed on her bottom. Her elbows were on the ground at her sides which kept her from hitting her head on the cold gravel. "You don't have to," he said, his voice calm.

His expression had changed from anger to impassive. Diamond bent down to Usagi's level and shoved a piece of her hair behind her ear. He stared into her blue eyes, widened with fear. She flinched when he grabbed her shoulder and brought her back to her feet. Again he pulled her close, their lips were inches apart. At that moment, Usagi spotted a familiar head of hair crossing the park and yelled for him.

Taking the split second she had to get out of Diamond's arms, Usagi bolted to her friend's brother. Diamond turned to watch Usagi run from him, confused by how quick she had disappeared from his hold. Anger seeped from his pores.

---

"Hi," Usagi said with a breath of relief as she stopped in front of Mamoru.

She glanced over her shoulder to see a fuming Diamond shove hands in his pockets and walk of in the other direction. For now her troubles would leave her.

"Who was that?" Mamoru asked, his gaze returning to her from Diamond.

Usagi shrugged, shook her head, "No one worth talking about."

"He seems pretty mad that you left him for another man." Mamoru chuckled.

She would prefer to talk about anything else at this moment. Just getting away from Diamond was not enough at this point. She wanted to forget him completely. The last few moments with him, Usagi wanted them erased from her head. "That's not the reason he's mad," she said, missing the humorous tone in Mamoru's voice.

"Why is he?"

Usagi sighed. She started walking from the park back in the direction of her house but Mamoru had followed her, waiting for an answer. "When's your sister supposed to get back?"

"Sometime soon."

At the corner of the park, instead of taking a right to go to her house, Usagi took a left and headed to the Chiba's. "How about we hang out until she gets back."

When Mamoru nodded, Usagi smiled. This would be for the best anyway. Especially since Diamond knew where to find Usagi if she went home. Right now, Usagi didn't feel like she would be safe without someone else she trusted around. Besides, even if Diamond had enough brains to search for her at the Chiba's residence, at least Mamoru would be there to protect her, even if he didn't know the whole story.

She grinned up at Mamoru, who smiled back and rested an arm around her shoulders as they continued to make their way to their destination.

---

If you were to ask her, Usagi would not admit that she had been avoiding Mamoru for the most part since the night she ended up falling asleep in his arms. She wanted to keep her word to Rei about not developing emotions with Mamoru. Usagi could not deny the feeling that overwhelmed her when she was near him. Now that she promised Rei that she would not put their relationship through the strain, Usagi was even more aware of the pull she felt from Mamoru.

Usagi nonchalantly slipped from Mamoru's arm on her shoulder. She turned around, walking backwards, so she could look at him as they walked. "You know, we're going to have to find something entertaining to do until Rei gets back home."

Mamoru shoved his hands deep in his pockets, "I'm sure we can find something."

The heel of Usagi's shoe hit a crack in the sidewalk, almost sending her flat on her back but Mamoru caught her wrist and pulled her upright. She landed hard against his chest, which was still much softer than the concrete. Her other hand had landed on his bicep in it's flailing around, his muscles tensed under the pressure of her touch. Usagi backed from him, just a slight step to put some space between them.

"But first let's get you home safe, okay?" Mamoru laughed.

"Yeah, fine." Usagi mumbled as she tried to ignore the fast beating of her heart.

He grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers together. When Usagi looked up at him with questioning eyes, he just smiled and, as if he could read her questioning eyes, said, "Don't want you to fall again."

---

Rei came home shortly after five to find Usagi and Mamoru in the living room. They were watching something on the TV. Mamoru was sitting on the couch and Usagi was sitting in one of the chairs opposite the room that Rei knew for a fact did not have a good view of the television. She would have laughed at the scene if she didn't know any better. However, Rei had a suspicion and she wasn't about to let go of it.

When Rei entered the room, Usagi's head snapped up from her lap and the blond ran over to her. "Ohmigod! I have some news!"

"Okay?" Rei asked.

Usagi looked to Mamoru then back at Rei, "Some private news."

"Gotcha!" Rei smiled. "Later, Mamoru."

The two girls ran upstairs. Once in Rei's room, Usagi plopped herself on the bed, exhausted with today's drama and spilled her story. About Diamond, that is. Rei sat across from Usagi, her mouth open in shock

"I can't believe him!" she exclaimed once Usagi was finished.

She had held in her emotions for a good part of the day but now in front of the person who knew her the best, tears started to spill from her eyes. "If I hadn't seen your brother I don't know what I would have done." Usagi admitted.

"Well, in that case, we should be thankful for small favors." Rei patted Usagi's knee. "I mean, who would have guessed that he'd be walking through the park at just the right moment." Rei reached across the space between them and hugged Usagi. "I'm just so grateful nothing happened to you. If so I would have had to kill him!"

"I just feel so stupid, you know." Usagi wiped at her face, shoving her tears from her skin. "I mean, he has hurt me once before, I should have known not to trust him!"

Rei shrugged her shoulders. "You learn from it you know. I mean, at least there will definitely not be a next time because you know better, _for sure_."

"I guess you're right." Usagi sniffed, the last of her tears dried on her cheeks. "I just wish I knew what to do now."

"Move on." Rei said simply and lay back on the bed.

Usagi looked away from her friend. With her last statement, she was not exactly talking about her thoughts of Diamond but rather her feelings for Mamoru. He was starting to creep in to ever shadow of her mind. This was something she could not even tell Rae, the one person she told everything to. Of course, she would have to stop these feelings for Mamoru somehow. No matter what it took to calm her nerves when she was around him.

----

I'm trying to find a way to bring them together. It'll come to me eventually. GOOD NEWS, finals are done. And I'm one of those sick people who have to make 100s on all of her tests. ugh. And then BRAG about it. BUT IT IS SUCH A RELIEF. Okay.

Now we'll get more story... faster... hopefully. ;-)


	7. Kissing by Numbers

_My excuses for not getting this out any earlier: after Christmas I was in Iowa and last week I worked 75 hours. Okay that's it. But, I made an extra long chapter with delicious goodness in it... I promise. READ!_

My Best Friend's Brother  
Written by: Jill Annette

**CHAPTER SEVEN – KISSING BY NUMBERS**

It was Motoki's birthday today and it almost slipped Usagi's mind completely. She had exactly four hours to find him a birthday present before his party at seven. Cutting study hall at the end of the school day, Usagi walked across the campus parking lot and onto the sidewalk in the direction leading into town.

_A simple shirt would do_, she thought to herself. _Maybe a gift card to a gaming store._ However, Usagi almost immediately dismissed that thought. Gift cards seemed to scream, "I don't know you that well to get you a real gift but here you go anyway!" Usagi sighed; she honestly had no idea what to get her friend.

As the hours passed, the blonde browsed one store after another. There had to be something she could buy Motoki that he didn't already have. She had fifteen minutes before the party started when she passed by an appliance store when a certain contraption caught her eye.

Her cell phone rang just as she finished paying for the item and was ready to leave the shop. "Hello?" she answered, shifting her bags to make walking easier as she talked.

"Where are you?" It was Rei. Of course it was Rei was probably the only person to call Usagi on an everyday basis.

"I just got Motoki's present. I'm on my way to your house."

Rei sighed audibly through the phone. "You do realize this means we're going to be late don't you?"

"Yes, but I found the perfect gift!"

Rei guffawed. "Okay, whatever. Just hurry your butt up so we don't miss the entire party."

"Yeah right," Usagi scoffed. "You know they party until all hours of the morning. Especially since tomorrow everyone took they day off from work _and_ it's Saturday for us."

"You just might be right." Usagi could almost see Rei nodding. "Anyway, we still don't want to miss too much."

"Correction, you don't want to miss too much." Usagi sing-songed. "I'm assuming Yuuichirou will be there?"

"You have ten minutes to get here!"

"Rei, answer my-"

Usagi stopped talking once she heard the line die. She quickened her stride to get over to Rei's house so she could wrap her gift so they could make their way to Motoki's place.

- - -

Usagi and Rei walked through the hall of Motoki's apartment complex. They laughed at nothing in particular; they honestly didn't need a reason. Usagi's arms were wrapped tightly around a brightly wrapped package as Rei's gift hung in a bag at her side that, from time to time, hit the back of her calf. Rei was the one who knocked on the door to be allowed entry: bursting in uninvited was not usually her style.

"The girls are finally here!" They heard Reika's voice from the other side of the door before it even opened. When it did, they were greeted by her big smile. "Okay girls, give me your presents and pick a number from the girls' bowl."

Reika grabbed the presents from the girls and disappeared into the dining area to place the new addition of presents to that which was already piled on the table. Rei and Usagi found the glass bowl Reika had mentioned. Unsure of what it was for them and picked a slip of paper from the bowl and looked to see what they got.

"Don't tell anyone what you got either!" Motoki exclaimed from the living room.

Usagi slipped her number in her back pocket with a roll of her eyes.

"What is it for?" Rei asked, walking further into the apartment in search of her boyfriend.

Everyone seemed to already be situated comfortably throughout the living room. There were fourteen people all together, spread out the apartment. Minako stood off to the side, a person Usagi only knew because of stories from Rei, with a blond man. Reika, Motoki's girlfriend of three years, played a pretty little hostess but it didn't keep Makoto out of the kitchen to help cook. Umino and Naru had been together since they graduated from high school last year and nine months later they were still going. They sat respectively together on the love seat listening to everyone talk. Ami brought her new boyfriend Ryo who immediately fit into the group. Makoto ended up bringing her friend Nephrite she met at the arcade and the title friend is held loosely by most of the people in the group of friends though neither of the two will admit just yet to their feelings. Mamoru himself was leaning against the wall with a drink in hand.

"You guys will find out later, no one really knows what it is," Motoki stated.

"I know what it is for," Minako smirked, "but I can't exactly tell you."

Rei's eyes narrowed at the gorgeous blond who trampled her brother's heart years ago, "Honestly I don't really care."

Minako was a really good friend of Reika's. Probably the only reason she was invited to the party anyway. That was Rei's assumption. Rei glanced at Usagi with an exasperated expression. Usagi just shrugged and led Rei away from her problem.

The television was on an alternative music channel to set the mood. Most everyone was in some sort of conversation with someone else. Rei stepped away from Usagi to slip into the lap of Yuuichirou. Usagi stayed in the middle of the room watching everyone and feeling just the slightest bit uncomfortable. She nearly jumped when she felt a hand on her arm but calmed when she realized it was Mamoru.

"Come on," he said in his deep, sexy voice. "Let's get you something drink so you can loosen up some."

"I don't need-" Usagi started to protest.

"Yes you do." Mamoru insisted. "You're standing in the middle of the room like you don't know what to do."

"It's just that there's a few people I don't know. It takes me a bit to warm up."

Mamoru shook his head. He reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a beer bottle, unscrewed the top and then handed to her. "This'll help warm you up faster."

Usagi stood unmoving for a moment, holding the beer out in front of her like it might come alive and attack her.

"One is not going to do anything to you, except maybe help you socialize easier." Mamoru shrugged. "It'll take the edge off."

"And I should believe you?"

Mamoru nodded. All of a sudden he seemed to close. Usagi glanced to Makoto and Reika who were busy wrapping dough over stuffed jalapenos. They did not notice her dilemma. She looked back to Mamoru who was even closer than he was just a second before. "I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."

"Okay," Usagi said, lifting the bottle to her lips and took a sip before she accidentally tasted his lips instead.

She had been drunk before. Usagi was not unaware of the effects of alcohol, she just wanted to tease Mamoru a little bit and now she wasn't sure if she should have. Just weeks ago she had promised Rei nothing was going on between her and Mamoru and that nothing would. However, if she kept slipping up like this before she knew it there might be something between Mamoru and she that should not be.

Mamoru backed away as Usagi's sip became a gulp which became her downing the bottle. Once Usagi straightened back up, she handed the empty bottle back to the dark headed man in front of her and grinned. "I believe you."

He stared at the now empty bottle in his hands and back to the blond in front of him. "Cool," he said for lack of anything else. She blew him away. Usagi was nothing he expected, Mamoru realized that more and more every time he saw her.

"A smoothie maker?!" came a cry from the other room.

Usagi's eyes widened and ran to where the voice came from, "You're opening my present without me in here! How dare you?" She crossed her arms and pouted.

"This is so awesome!" Motoki laughed loudly.

Usagi's pout quickly became a grin. "I thought it'd be something you'd like to play with. Maybe you could figure out some new creations for the Crown."

Smiling from ear to ear, laughter still on his lips, Motoki said, "Maybe."

Reika rolled her eyes and playfully added, "Thanks Usa, now there's something else he can make a mess with that I'll have to clean up."

Everyone else laughed. Motoki continued opening his presents. A game or two here, clothes that included shirts with wicked sayings on them and passes for four free movies. All presents he complimented and truly liked. He thanked everyone. About that time Makoto and Reika announced that dinner was ready and everyone ate.

"God this stuff is good," Nephrite, the guy Makoto brought with her, announced.

"Hell yeah," the blond guy, Usagi learned to be Malachite throughout the night, Minako brought, agreed.

Once everyone was done eating, the group moved back into the living room. Conversations continued and laughter and drinks continued throughout the hours of the night. They played a round of _Pop Culture Trivial Pursuit_ split into two groups of three and two groups of four. As the party began to wind down, Motoki decided to tell everyone what the numbers were all about.

"Before anyone can leave you have to finish the task of which your number has for you." Motoki explained. "The task for everyone is the same. Each person has a number, 1-7. The boys and the girls both. You must take out your number, look at it and find the person who has the same number as you."

"Motoki no!" Reika exclaimed, "That'll ruin the surprise if everyone did it at the same time." She cleared her throat and re-stated the rules of the game Motoki was trying to explain. "That and the rest of us won't be able to watch, which is the whole purpose." She winked. "Anyway, we'll call out the numbers in order and whoever has the number has to step forward and the couple picked by fate has to kiss on the lips!"

Makoto squealed out a laugh.

"ONE!" Motoki announced.

Reika stepped forward along with Malachite.

"No, no no." Motoki stated shaking his head, "My girl, not yours."

"It's just a game," Reika soothed Motoki. She walked over to Malachite and quickly pecked him on the lips. Then she walked up to Motoki and kissed him deeply to sooth his jealousy.

"That's not fair!" Rei exclaimed, "That can't even really be classified as a kiss."

"I never said what kind of kiss, so long as it is on the lips."

"Whatever," Rei folded her arms.

"TWO!"

Makoto stepped forward with a smile on her face. When no one got up she placed her hands on her hips. "Okay guys, it isn't nice to leave a girl hanging." She slowly scanned the faces of the guys and found her red faced victim and laughed. "I don't believe it!"

Umino shrunk back into the couch grasping Naru's hand.

"You two?" Makoto asked.

Umino slowly nodded his head once.

"Okay then." Makoto closed in the gap. She bent down until her face was even with Umino's. "Are you that repulsed by me?" Makoto asked, a smile on her lips.

"No," Umino rasped.

"Oh," Makoto said, looking back to everyone else. "A shy boy."

She turned back to her victim and placed an antagonizing kiss on Umino's lips.

He gasped for air once she parted their lips. The room applauded as Makoto bowed before she took her seat beside Nephrite once more. As embarrassing as it was to Umino, he found that the room's attention was quickly on the next couple and off of him.

"THREE!"

Nephrite stepped into the center of the circle and was quickly joined by Rei. Rei sauntered up to Nephrite and threw one arm around him and then the other before bringing his lips to hers. It was not until Yuuichirou called out Rei's name did she stop her massaging lips and turned away. She laughed and found her way back into Yuuichirou's arms.

"FOUR!"

Minako stood up from her spot on the couch and made her way to the center, her eyes stayed intently on Mamoru. This was the moment she knew would get them back together. It was something she had been thinking about ever since she saw him at the Crown when he first got back in town. But her hope was quickly diminished when a stranger stepped forward – one of the other girl's boyfriends they brought over – stepped up to her. She rolled her eyes and sighed audibly before placing a quick chase kiss on his lips and turned around and plopped back on the couch.

Ryo raised an eyebrow, shrugged and took his place by Ami again.

"FIVE!" Motoki exclaimed, keeping track of the number, "That's me!"

He took a big step into the center of the circle. Naru slowly stood up but had a hard time making her way to Motoki since Umino wouldn't let go of her arm. "It's just a kiss, besides, you kissed Makoto." Naru was saying.

"She kissed me, I didn't kiss her."

"It's just a kiss," Naru stated, "You have my heart."

Umino slowly let go of her hand and Naru was able to meet Motoki in the middle of the circle. Motoki grabbed Naru around the waist and dipped her low, bending his own body to follow her and kissed her lips with a loud smack. He stood them both back upright before he let go of her, "Perfect end-of-movie kiss."

Motoki went back to the edge of the circle before he called out, "SIX!"

Usagi's heart pounded in her chest. This was her number. There was a choice of one of two people and both were connected to Rei. She either had to kiss her boyfriend or her brother. Breathing in deeply, Usagi took a small step forward, her head bowed.

If it were Yuuichirou, it would be weird because it was her boyfriend and Rei kisses him almost everyday and well, it would be awkward to kiss the same boy Rei does. If it were Mamoru, it would be tempting the promise she made Rei when she was caught in Mamoru's bed. However, she would still rather it be Mamoru.

She slowly lifted her gaze to the face of Mamoru's grinning face. Though she knew people were watching them, somehow they fell away and it was just Mamoru and she.

"Let's show them a real kiss shall we?" Mamoru asked, head cocked to the side.

Usagi nodded, not really knowing how to say no at the moment.

From this close, Usagi realized just how tall Mamoru was, she barely came up to his shoulders. She had to bend her head all the way back and stand on her tip toes and he still had to bend down a little.

Usagi gently placed her hands on his shoulders to keep her balance and he cupped her face in the palms of his hands to guide her to his mouth. When their lips met, Usagi's eyes widened only a second before they closed on their own. A surge of energy raced through her veins and she wanted – needed – more from him.

Their lips moved together perfectly, the timing of their heartbeat the same. He slipped his tongue in her mouth to taste her and she replied slowly, not wanting to spoil this feeling no matter how great the need.

He pulled away slowly and Usagi remembered herself and where she was. She looked around the room and her eyes met Rei's for a split second before she met Mamoru's again and blushed, turning away from him.

The room was quiet and a couple mouths were open, shocked by their kiss. Motoki grinned like an excited schoolboy. Minako scowled and grabbed her partner, "We have to go," she said for the both of them. Malachite obediently followed Minako out the door.

Usagi herself did not notice much of what was going on, her head was in a haze and she could still feel the pressure of Mamoru's lips on her own.

"SEVEN!"

Leave it up to Motoki to keep the party going.

Yuuichirou and Ami stood up and quickly kissed each other, the fun of the game sucked out from the passion everyone witnessed just moments before. When Yuuichirou wandered back to Rei she kissed him long and hard. "Don't ever think about kissing another girl again," she joked.

"Don't worry about it."

Rei's eyes however were already back on Usagi and she watched as her friend walked onto the balcony to "get some fresh air," as she said to no one in particular. Rei heard however. She also noticed when after a few minutes, when he thought no one was paying any attention, Mamoru followed Usagi outside.

Most everyone had left once the game was over. In fact it was only the six of them: Motoki, Reika, Mamoru, Rei, Yuuichirou and Usagi. Rei left the living room to go to the restroom and on her way back nonchalantly walked close to the slightly ajar balcony door.

She heard a breathy, "I can't. I just can't."

Rei bowed her head and walked away from two of the most important people of her life. As she snuggled back into Yuuichirou's side, she decided she would have to fix the words she had told Usagi earlier.

She realized tonight that two people with that kind of connection should not be kept apart and she was sorry she didn't notice it before. Wondering if they even noticed it before the kiss themselves.

- - -

_Okay, I have reasons for the whole Minako act. I just hope I'm playing it right. It will show it's ugly head in future chapters. I really really do love Minako. She's probably my favorite character... probably because she can pull off the roll I have for her in this story and not stray away from her real character too much. Anyway, tell me how much I made you happy in this chapter... how much I pissed you off with this chapter... and how much you want me to get the next chapter out within a decent amount of time. My hours should slow down at work now that inventory is done and the fact that school starts back up Tuesday there won't be planned vacations to take me away from writing. Just homework... but I don't do that an yway._

_Seriously... did you like this chapter?_


	8. Just an Attraction

My Best Friend's Brother  
Written by: Jill Annette

**CHAPTER EIGHT – JUST AN ATTRACTION**

Mamoru watched Usagi after their kiss as she nervously looked from person to person in the room. If he didn't know any better he would say that she was avoiding eye contact with Rei. Usagi continuously fidgeted with the hem of her shirt as she stood off to the side of the circle as Ami and Yuuichirou shared their kiss. Once the game was finished, Usagi left the room and walked outside.

The kiss was amazing, Mamoru had to admit. It played out to his advantage anyway, since he had been wondering what it would be like to caress her lips with his. Because they both picked the same number, it was just a game and no one would think anything of it. He had hoped it was her the entire night and was more than delighted when she stepped forward once their number was called.

Now however, Mamoru knew Usagi was troubled. He could see it in her face, by her actions. He knew it was because of the way he had kissed her. Had she not wanted to kiss him? Was he that repulsing to her? Bowing his head for a moment, Mamoru decided he would have to ask. It was stupid for him to let these feelings – whatever they were – to go on without getting them out in the open.

Looking around the room, he realized most everyone was caught up saying goodbye to whomever it was that was leaving. Mamoru stood and crossed the room in a few quick strides, partly so that no one would notice where he had gone off to and partly because he didn't want the chance that he would change his mind.

- - -

Usagi leaned against the railing of the balcony. She watched the cars pass by in hopes that maybe it would help clear her mind. That was probably the most stupid game she had ever played. It toyed with people's emotions and left people like her wondering how the hell she ended up the way she did. Gods, how did she end up liking Mamoru? Attraction, she knew it was there but serious _like? _She could not put her finger on it.

From the beginning, ever since he walked into his sister's room when she and Rei were sprawled out on the floor caught talking about dating best friend's brothers, she felt something for Mamoru. Usagi cringed as she remembered how just moments before he had barged in she asked if he was handsome. And damn, was he handsome.

She sighed. Now she would never be able to get him out of her head. All she would ever think about was how comforting the kiss was. Then she would constantly have to remind herself what Rei said about her not being able to choose between the two of them if things did not work out. Usagi had promised not to jeopardize their friendship and she would be if she told Mamoru her feelings and they actually did something about it.

Besides, who's to say that he feels the same way? He's nearly five years older than her and why would a college graduate want something to do with a high school student. Albeit she will be graduating from high school in two months. And then what? Usagi sighed again propping her chin in the palm of her head. She felt like she still had a lot of growing up to do.

The balcony door slid open, making Usagi gasp and turn around. Her lower back pressed against the banister. The devil himself appeared in front of her, closing the door behind him. Usagi crossed her arms to put something between them besides the night's stale air.

"Hey," Mamoru said, attempting a comforting smile.

Usagi smiled a tight smile herself in greeting, all the while avoiding eye contact with him.

He reached for her arm and held fast to her soft skin. Usagi tensed at Mamoru's touch and tried to pull away but she only ended up closer to Mamoru. He had the upper-hand in this situation: he was much stronger than she. There was not much she could do but stare at him, their blue eyes clashing with each other.

"I meant what I said about not hurting you."

Usagi lowered her head away from his gaze only for a second because Mamoru cupped her chin in his other hand and pulled her face to his. Their faces were so close she could feel his hot breath on her mouth. Usagi could breathe in his scent and she knew he caught hers as well. He stayed tauntingly away waiting for her to close the gap. Being in the awkward position she was pressed against Mamoru, Usagi adjusted her footing and literally fell into another kiss. Again she was taken by his lips and was able to taste his soul. She could feel tears in the corner of her eyes because of what she had to do.

She pulled away from his warmth with newfound strength and turned around. "I can't." With her back to him it was much easier to say the words. "I just can't."

Mamoru raked a hand through his hair. "Why not?"

Usagi shook her head, still turned away from him. At least this way he could not see her tears.

She heard Mamoru scoff and then say, "Well, if it isn't obvious enough, I guess my feelings are not shared and I just made a complete ass of myself."

"It's not that," Usagi whispered, unable to find her voice.

"Then what is it, Usagi?" His voice was stern. "I like you and I thought you liked me but I guess I read you wrong."

Usagi swallowed her tears down and looked at Mamoru once again. "It's not that I don't like you, it's just – I – We can't." She shook her head again, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Mamoru took a step closer to her. "I don't understand," he said reaching out for her again but she moved away from him. He pulled his hand back in as if he were burned and curled it in a fist. His eyes never left her, questioning her in a way he couldn't with words.

"Maybe you will one day." Usagi said aloud, just to break the silence that tightened around them.

She watched as Mamoru's eyes narrowed, his blue eyes darkening to coal. Before she knew it his back was to her and then he was gone with the slam of the door. Usagi took deep breaths until her heart slowed down and her tears decided to leave her be. Slowly, Usagi stepped back into the apartment to find only Rei still in the living room.

"Where's everyone?" Usagi asked.

"Mamoru left in a huff," Rei explained, knowing well to mention him first. "I'm not sure what's wrong with him. Yuuichirou followed him out the door and Motoki and Reika are – um – they went to bed."

"Oh, okay." Usagi nodded and prayed that her breathing was even. "Can we go now?"

Rei shot up from the couch, "Yes, let's."

- - -

Rei noticed Usagi's silence on the walk home. It was closer to two in the morning and if she did not know any better, Rei would easily mistake her silence for exhaustion. However, Rei knew something happened between her brother and her best friend.

"You okay?" Rei asked, concern written in her violet eyes.

Usagi nodded, "Yeah. I'll be fine."

Rei cocked her head to the side, "You _will_ be?"

"It's just," Usagi sighed, "it's been a long night."

"Tell me about it," Rei stated. To try and lighten the mood she continued to talk, "I mean, I didn't think we were ever going to get to leave once Moto_ki decided to _spring that last game on us."

Silence.

"And then you disappeared for a while." Rei said, knowing she probably should not have mentioned either the game or her disappearance. In truth, Usagi didn't disappear because Rei knew where she was all along. She just wanted to figure out away to tell her friend that it was okay for her to like Mamoru and for her to show her emotions if that's what she wanted. Forget what she had said earlier and she'll forget the promise. It was selfish of her to even think of denying her friend something just because she was afraid of what may happen.

"I needed some fresh air." Usagi told her friend. "I started to feel dizzy." She forced a laugh, then, "I guess I drank too much."

Rei knew then that Usagi was not going to mention anything about Mamoru. The kiss they shared because of the game or their conversation on the balcony. The raven headed girl was hurt that her friend would not trust her enough with the predicament Usagi found herself in. However, Rei also knew that she was part of the problem.

"It'll just be great to crash into bed," Rei said.

"You're telling me." Despite whatever turmoil Usagi was dealing with inside, somehow she pushed it aside, Rei noticed, as she smiled broadly and said, "I'll race you home!"

With that the blond was off, leaving Rei behind. Milliseconds passed before Rei herself picked up her pace and chased after her blond friend. "You better get a head start!"

Usagi raced up the path of the Chiba's home and up the porch steps and into the door, Rei fast on her heels. Mamoru was standing at the bottom of the staircase when the girls bounded in the room. He looked disheveled, his unruly hair going every which way and his shirt half-tucked in. The blond stopped dead in her tracks causing Rei to slam into her sending both of them toppling to the floor.

"OW!" Rei whined, "Why did you stop?"

They lay in a tangle of limbs on the floor a moment before they were able to catch their breath and straighten themselves out. Rei stood up and smiled down at her friend, "Looks like I'm going to win!" The she ran up the stairs.

Usagi was sitting on the ground, her legs bent to the side, and she was looking at Mamoru. She forgot that she would have to see him every day she would come to Rei's house. Mamoru slowly shook his head before he started to make his own way up the stairs.

"You know it'd be different if it could be," Usagi said.

Mamoru looked down to Usagi's pathetic form. It was just an attraction, nothing more and nothing less. He would get over this in a few days time he was sure. "No, I don't think it would be," he stated sternly before finishing the few steps he had left and closing his bedroom door behind him.

Defeated, Usagi let herself fall to the floor again, this time alone without her best friend to catch her.

- - -

So I had an inspiration bug that stayed with me from one chapter to the next AND time to write it out. Here's the next chapter. In AWESOME timing. ) Hope you enjoyed it... um ... yeah. ;-)

I'm also working on a series. I have it planned out anyway, so far I have three parts for sure and possibly a fourth. It depends really on how much I get into it. This is just a plug I guess. A notice for you to be on the look out for sometime this year. There's a really big outline for it... and not much else. But I'm letting you guys know anyway.

Thanks for reading.


	9. Hard Headed

My Best Friend's Brother  
Written by: Jill Annette

**CHAPTER NINE – HARD HEADED**

"I know the two most hard headed people in the world!" Rei screeched. "Ugh!"

Yuuichirou raised an eyebrow, his dark hair fell into his brown eyes, and smirked. His girlfriend had been trying to convince her brother and friend to change their mind about each other. However, she was trying to be subtle about it.

With Mamoru, Rei would brag about Usagi here and make sure to mention her name there. She always had something to say or a way to bring Usagi into the conversation. Around the time Rei started to mention Usagi he would either change the subject completely (or try to) or just end the conversation completely.

Talking to Usagi was a completely different story. Rei, again, would mention Mamoru more often than usual. She would always try to bring Usagi around when Mamoru was home, or try to get the blond to tag along whenever she and Mamoru were out.

However, they were great at avoiding each other. If Rei did not know any better, she would be certain the two were determined to avoid each other completely.

"Maybe you should find a different tactic," Yuuichirou threw out.

Rei shrugged, "Maybe I need to perform brain surgery."

"Don't you mean heart surgery?" Yuuichirou asked, grabbing Rei and pulling her close.

She shook her head as she answered, her breath against his neck, "No, their hearts already beat for each other . . . it's just their heads that get in the way."

The movie the television displayed for them was long forgotten. It was well in the middle part of the action anyway and the storyline was lost on both of them.

"Sounds kind of like a couple I used to know," Yuuichirou noted.

Rei laughed, snuggling even closer as if it were possible, "You and me both."

- - -

Usagi opted against movie night over at Rei's. Makoto invited Usagi to go along with her to Neptune, since it was one of the few weekends Raiu's father kept him and she was free. Of course, Nephrite had been invited too, which made it possible that Usagi would end up a third wheel. However, this outing would be much more tolerable than one with Mamoru sitting three feet away from her.

She planned to meet Makoto and Nephrite at the Crown a good eight minutes ago. Old habits die hard, and it seemed that Usagi could never get anywhere on time. Usagi rushed in the arcade, relieved when she found that Makoto had not yet arrived. Taking a breath to calm her nerves, Usagi decided to sit at the nearest booth as she waited for her friends.

Moments later the bells rang again, noting that someone else had entered the building. She turned, thinking it might be Makoto and Nephrite; instead it was the blond from Motoki's party a while back. Minako, that was her name, was beautiful. Even Usagi had to admit it. Her teeth were whiter than white and straight, no wonder she easily became a model icon in no time. Usagi watched Minako laugh as she entered the door, followed by none other than a handsome man. She continued her gaze as Minako ushered the man to the bar. The two sat together, the man a little awkward with his movements, his hands resting in his lap, on the table, brushing his through his dark hair, rubbing against his thighs. It seemed as if he was not entirely sure why he was there and Usagi did not know why either.

Her eyes narrowed. He was supposed to be at the house watching movies with Rei. This was just not right. It was all she could do to keep from having a fit in the middle of the arcade once she realized that the guy Minako had brought in with her was none other than Mamoru. He did not even notice Usagi sitting by herself when he walked in – which he should have since she noticed him. Never did Usagi take her cobalt eyes from him as he sat with Minako, jealousy plagued her veins.

When Makoto came in with Nephrite, Usagi barely noticed. It was not until they left the arcade and Usagi was safely buckled into the backseat of Nephrite's car did she take a moment to breathe. Mamoru was only doing what he was allowed to do. He made it perfectly clear how he felt before Usagi had smothered all hope of that and all for Rei. Okay, so not all for Rei, because honestly, how would she truly feel if something truly serious did happen between her and Mamoru and they cut things off much like they did now. It would be a hundred times worse.

Besides, tonight Usagi promised herself a wonderful night out. Even if she spent most of the night meandering around by herself, maybe she could meet someone new.

- - -

Mamoru noticed her seconds before she noticed him. However, he pretended she was not even there. She would not ruin his night out. Usagi would not infect his mind. Not tonight. He refused to let her yet, his blood was boiling, the back of his neck was perspiring and he did not know what to do with his hands. Not to mention the fact that her gaze was burning a hole through the back of his shirt.

Minako gave him a questioning look that he shrugged off with a smile. "So, what do you want?" He asked, finally stilling his hands by clasping them together and set them on the table.

Minako flipped her hair behind her and looked up at the large menu in front of them. Her head leaned back a bit to catch the right angle to read the sign easily, and took her time. She elongated an "um" as she finally made her mind up. Glancing back at Mamoru she said, "A low-fat decaf mocha."

Mamoru nodded his head and walked up to the register. Since Motoki wasn't working tonight, Mamoru did not have the luxury of getting served where he sat. From the corner of his eye he noticed Usagi leave the arcade with a couple of her friends and wondered for a moment why she wasn't at the house watching movies with Rei.

- - -

Neptune was not much more of a bar with a stage and of course an open floor devoid of any tables or chairs. There were stairs that lead up to an upper area away that faced the stage for the types of people who would rather sit instead of stand. Already Usagi had seen two different bands play. Both of which she did not catch the names of. She followed Makoto and Nephrite around for a while as they introduced her to other people they knew. It seemed that everyone was in some sort of band.

Usagi finally said she needed to take a breather and found her way outside. Right beside the door was a cloud of smoke and the people with cigarettes that made it. Holding back a cough, Usagi continued down the entrance path and found a bench at the side of the building. The night air was refreshing and it felt good to get out of the throngs of people.

"Mind if I sit down?"

Startled, Usagi jumped.

"I didn't mean to scare you."

Her eyes shot up to the intruder but she scooted over so he would have enough room to sit beside her.

"So what brings you out here?"

Usagi looked into his grey eyes, wondering just what exactly this man was up to. "It was just getting a little loud and crowded. I needed the quiet." She waited a beat, long enough for him to nod his head at what she said. "What about you?"

"Why am I out here?" When Usagi nodded he continued. "I actually noticed you earlier. When you walked outside, I thought it might be a good chance to talk."

"Oh," Usagi said. _That's strange_.

"Sounds weird, huh?"

The blond almost laughed. He was thinking the same as her. "Maybe, just a little."

"The name's Seiya Kou," he held out his hand. "And I'm not in a band, if that makes a difference – yet."

"Usagi," she introduced herself and shook his hand. "I'm not in a band either, never will be. I'm glad to say I'm tone deaf."

He smiled, "Don't say that."

"But it's true." Usagi laughed. "It's horrible how true it is."

"Well, I can make up for that," Seiya countered. "For one, I'm going to make it big."

"Really?" Usagi raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," Seiya nodded. "One of these days you'll see Three Lights on the cover of all music magazines."

"Don't you need a band to do that?"

"I said one of these days, not tomorrow." Seiya sighed. "I just have to replace Taiki, my brother."

Usagi shook her head, "You want to replace your brother because?"

"He's broken his collar bone a couple times, said he's tired of playing." He bent over, resting his for arms on his knees. He talked with his hands, Usagi noticed he had long fingers; maybe he played a guitar or bass. "You see, it was just the three of us, Taiki, Yaten and I. Now it's going to be Yaten and I and some other guy."

"Or girl," Usagi suggested.

He shrugged, "Or girl." He watched Usagi. His charcoal eyes clashed with her blues.

Holding up her hands in defense Usagi exclaimed, "But not me, definitely not me. Tone deaf, remember?"

"No, not you," Seiya shook his head. "You, I'd like to take out."

Usagi stopped breathing for a second. "Me?" she breathed.

Why would he be interested in her? She had nothing to offer him. No knowledge of music whatsoever. All she truly knew is that she liked a John Mayer song because of the lyrics and hated Beyonce Knowles new song because it did not make any sense to her. As for music itself she had hardly any knowledge whatsoever. So this one thing that could have been a key interest they both had was not there. What else did he know about her? Nothing really. So why is he interested?

"Yeah, you." He chuckled again. "I like you." He paused as he noticed her distraught face. "I'm not being too forward am I?"

What about Mamoru? Did she have strong feelings for him? How could she be interested in Seiya all of a sudden? Just a couple weeks ago she tripped over her own feet and landed in Mamoru's arms. Then she pulled herself out of them and ran away. She sighed mentally clearing her thoughts as she met Seiya's grey gaze again.

This could not hurt her. Usagi felt she needed to move on anyway. Besides, Mamoru apparently already has. Why couldn't she?

"No," Usagi shook her head. "You aren't being too forward."

Seiya grinned, "Good."

- - -

Okay, so, I felt bad for uploading a new story and not updating this one. Instead of doing homework like a good little girl, I spent a great deal of time on this... and it's still a little short. BUT, there's another twist. I'm horrible but I don't want this story to end just yet. I want their relationship to develop a little more. You heard me. It's going to develop a little more. But wait, their both in relationships? What will this mean?

It means, I'm procrastinating the finish because you guys probably hate Minako right now... and well... you. can't. not. like. her. Seriously. I've told you before she was my favorite character. Ever. So... yeah, keep that in mind. If you want.

I think graduation for the three that are still in High School (Usa, Rei, Ami) is due soon. Be looking for that too. I'm kind of figuring by now it has to be May-ish. Close? If it started out in January and some time has gone by. **Help me out here**... what time of year to you feel like they're in? That way I can work with what you guys are picturing. I don't want anyone to be stunned into thinking, _What the fuck, it's SUMMER?_ So yeah, let me know.

Thanks!!!

J.A.

Psst! I mentioned it before... but I've posted a new story. My multi-parter I said I was going to be working on. I've posted the prologue. Go check it out. It's How Forever Found Us. Thanks again.


	10. Rainy Days

_I've decided my timeline will be the present (at least for now). It seems about right._

My Best Friend's Brother  
Written by: Jill Annette

**CHAPTER TEN – RAINY DAYS**

There were six days until Valentine's Day and believe it or not Usagi had found hers. Honestly it was the first time she would ever have a _real _Valentine and it seemed too good to be true. Seiya had it all planned out though. He called her almost every day just to talk since she met him at the club a couple weeks ago.

Seiya was interesting to her. She really did like him. He made her laugh and she felt wanted. However, she could not fight off the whole Mamoru feeling she had in her system. Usagi's feelings for Seiya were light hearted and fun while the feelings she held for Mamoru ran deep. Seiya was convenient. Oh, how she hated to put it that way but it was sadly true.

When she talked to Seiya, hung out with him, watched movies, or went out to eat she found that she didn't think about Mamoru. Also, she wasn't bored with him. The only thing that bothered her most is how she knew that Seiya felt for her more than she felt for him – even though she told him that she only wanted to be friends. So that's what they were right now and she knew that Seiya wanted more from her.

Usagi was out, browsing about town by herself today. It was a nice way to pass time she thought. As she stepped outside of a antique shop, Usagi lifted the hood of her jacket over her head expecting the light drizzle that fell from the sky. The weather had been like this for days. It was overcast, no sunshine whatsoever and rain, lots and lots of rain.

Everything seemed to have an eternal sheen of water. Puddles were everywhere and people were scarce. Usagi on the other hand did not mind the natural shower. Honestly it was somewhat refreshing. The light that came from some source of light – what she couldn't tell because of the clouds – was starting to dim. She knew the sun was setting and decided to make her way home.

The chorus of Sic Transit Gloria sounded loudly in the nearly deserted street. Usagi jumped, startled a moment before she started searching for her phone. Rei's number flashed across the screen of her cell.

"Hey," Usagi said once she pressed answer and held the phone to her ear.

"You have got to come over!" Rei exclaimed. "No ifs, ands or buts! I'm serious."

Usagi nodded as if Rei could hear her. "Okay." She looked around to see just exactly where she was on the shopping strip before turning away from the direction to her own home and towards her friend's. "What for?"

"Does it matter?" Rei asked. "I know you'll come anyway."

Usagi sighed, "You know I'll come." She paused before she added, "You sound excited."

Laughing Rei answered, "You'll find out why in a little while!"

Okay. Rei was gushingly excited and Usagi couldn't help but get infected as a smile spread across her own face. Whatever it was, it made Rei happy. Usagi could hear it in her friend's voice. She hung up the phone and picked up her pace – it would be a good thirty minute walk.

She was at the halfway point whenever it began to rain hard. Usagi cringed and swore an oath under her breath. Just her luck, when there was no real place to run and hide from the torrents of water being lunged at her from the sky. In less than thirty seconds she was soaked to the bone and even her jacket could not keep the water out.

It was another five minutes before she spotted headlights of a vehicle coming her way. _Please be someone I know, please, _she prayed silently as she watched the SUV wind up the road towards her. It slowed as it neared her and a window rolled down exposing none other than the one person she wanted and did not want to see.

"Get in," he demanded.

Usagi proved just how stubborn she could be, "No." She continued to walk.

The rain created somewhat of a sound barrier, she knew Mamoru said something but she couldn't tell what. The vehicle made a u-turn to come back for her, stopped in the middle of the road and Mamoru was out of his seat and in front of Usagi in a second. At least that's how it felt. He had her cornered.

"What is your _problem_?" he asked, a hand was quick to rake through his hair sending water everywhere.

"Nothing." Usagi stated simply. There was nothing else to say really.

"Something is going on!" He stayed on the subject. "You are avoiding me completely."

"I think you are avoiding me!" Usagi retorted.

Mamoru took a step closer to her, "I don't understand you. I don't understand why you have to keep me at an arms length."

"There are plenty of reasons why I do what I do."

The headlights of the SUV illuminated them in the darkened street. Small shadows quickly ran across their features as the light tried to shine through the drops of rain. Both of them were soaked by now. Water clung to them, ran down their skin.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" Mamoru asked.

"I have no clue," she replied sarcastically. "Why don't you tell me why you've been ignoring me?"

Mamoru shrugged, "Seems like that is what you wanted."

Slowly Usagi shook her head. "It isn't what I want but I can't have what I want."

"Why not?" Mamoru growled.

"I promised," Usagi sighed. "You might think it's stupid, but I did."

Mamoru stepped closer to Usagi but again she backed away. However the car became an obstacle and Usagi found that she could go no further without turning away. Besides, he was right there in seconds anyway, centimeters from her own body.

"You told Rei, my sister," He started slowly, trying to place everything together in his head, "that you would stay away from me?"

Usagi nodded, unable to find words and feeling somewhat… dumb.

"Why?"

She broke the gaze to stare at her hands. "If we got together, and if it didn't work out, Rei said she didn't know who she would choose." Usagi started to explain, she looked back at Mamoru, "I'm her best friend, you're her brother. Family might be first but best friends are forever. It would be too hard for her to balance the equation."

"Are you serious?" he asked. Usagi felt his breath hit the tip of her nose and rush across her face; it was surprisingly warm against the cold of the rain.

"I told you, you'd think it was stupid."

"Maybe, but also honorable," he smirked.

Usagi looked away from him again; he was so close she could feel his warmth. She couldn't let herself get distracted with him, let herself get caught up in the moment. He pushed her hair from her face exposing her profile. Her hood apparently came off at some point since he got out of the SUV but she just now noticed. Shivers ran through her body at the slight of his touch.

"What if it works?" He asked. Mamoru cupped her cheeks in his hands and made her face him again. "Did you think of that?"

Again she sighed, "We're talking about 'what ifs.' It's hard to tell and always better safe than sorry."

He watched her, his dark eyes brooding. "_What if_ I kissed you right now?"

Mamoru leaned in to the small gap. Usagi held her breath as her mind reeled. His lips would capture hers in a moment and she couldn't let that happen. There was Seiya, that was her first thought, even though they weren't technically an item. Then her promise to Rei, she still felt guilty about the other kiss they shared. Also there was another blond that could be hurt in the process.

"What about Minako?" Usagi asked as she leaned from Mamoru.

With a dejected sigh, Mamoru stepped away from her, shoved his hands in his pockets. "What about her?"

"Aren't you two together, or something?" she asked.

He looked down at the ground, "Something."

"Ah," Usagi said. "So you take her out, act all boyfriendly to her and then leave her hanging every time you take her home?"

He hung his head for a second before he caught her eyes. "Minako and I are complicated. We have a history, yes, but I do not claim her as my own. I don't love her."

"Then why are you leading her on?" Usagi asked.

Mamoru turned away from her and started towards the driver's side. "Get in the car, Usagi!" Apparently, the conversation was over.

The rain still plummeted down. If she continued to walk to the house, she probably would not know the difference. However, there was promise of warmth inside the SUV from the heater. Rei would probably be wondering where she was anyway and Usagi should probably have made it to the house by now.

Neither of them spoke a word the entire ride.

---

_I kind of have an idea to where this story is going. I'm trying to get to it. Hopefully I can pull it off. Hmm... we shall see._


	11. Not So Much A Date

My Best Friend's Brother  
Written by: Jill Annette

**CHAPTER ELEVEN - Not So Much A Date  
**

A word was not spoken between the two. To tell you the truth, Mamoru was keeping the silence prolonged. When they finally made it to the house – the longest four minute drive either of them had to endure – Mamoru was out of the car first. Rei met them at the door, surprised to see both of them getting out of the same vehicle. She smiled brightly at Mamoru and greeted him but his expression never changed; a male version of pouting perhaps? He obviously ignored Rei as he passed her to get into the house.

Rei frowned for a moment before she turned to her friend. "What's that all about?"

Usagi shrugged and because she did not want to talk about it she said, "What did you call me over here for? It better be good."

Rei gushed, smiling greatly.

Under the safety of the porch awning, the rain wasn't bothersome. Rei's somewhat uncharacteristic actions were, however. Usagi braced herself for the worst… even though Rei was about to pop with excitement.

"Look!" she squealed. Her left hand flung itself right in front of Usagi's face.

Usagi herself had to take a step back to focus on what her friend was trying to show her: a ring. That's what all this excitement was about? A simple, gold ring studded with rubies. The band was wrapped snugly around Rei's ring finger. All of a sudden it hit Usagi like a ton of bricks.

"No!" Usagi exclaimed, grabbing her friend's hand for better examination.

Rei laughed, "It's not what you think it is."

The blond furrowed her eyebrows, "It isn't?"

Rei shook her head, "No, it's just a promise ring."

Usagi smiled, "Same difference."

Laughing, the dark headed girl held the ring in front of her face. "I don't think a wedding is in the works… that is the difference, at least not for a few more years."

A door slammed inside the house, sounding louder than the pouring rain and clapping thunder. Rei's eyes narrowed. She watched as Usagi cringed slightly – possibly unknowingly – and looked away from the house. The downpour became much more interesting to the blonde than her friend's newly acquired ring.

"So what happened between you and my brother?" Rei asked, her head tilted to the side.

"Nothing," Usagi mumbled.

Rei reached for Usagi's arm, "You know, I can't keep you from being with him."

The blonde took a deep breath, refusing to look her friend in the eye. Had she not been the one to tell Usagi that her brother was off limits? Usagi fought her emotions. Anger tried to force its way to her eyes but Usagi choked it down the best she could.

"I mean," Rei continued trying to reach out to her friend, "I know what I said. _If_ the two of you didn't make it, I wouldn't be able to choose between the two of you. Selfish, I am." The dark headed girl laughed. "Usagi, I said 'if' but who am I to know that you guys won't make it?"

Usagi shook her head, "What are you talking about?"

Rei groaned. She turned from Usagi and walked across the porch. "I can see it in the way you guys look at each other. I see it in the way the two of you deal with each other when you think no one – namely me – watching. There is something between you two."

"Whatever," Usagi sighed.

"You have my permission to be with my brother, if that's what you want."

The blonde narrowed her eyes. "Your _permission_!" she scoffed. "Thank you Rei, now I'm just going to go inside and jump your brother because I have your permission!"

Tears sprang in the girl's bright blue eyes, highlighting them aqua. Rei opened and closed her mouth trying to find the words to say, knowing that she screwed up in her wording.

"I didn't mean it like that, I swear!"

Usagi sighed, "It doesn't matter. Even if I needed your permission to see your brother, I couldn't be with him anyway. Minako is kind of in the picture."

"You know she doesn't mean anything to him anymore," Rei exclaimed.

"I will not be put between them." Usagi stated. She stepped down the steps, out into the rain. She turned back to finally look at Rei, "Happy Valentine's day by the way, I probably will not be seeing you."

"Usagi," Rei called but her words fell upon deaf ears. Either that or the rain washed out her desperation to get her friend's attention.

- - -

Six days later, when Valentine's Day finally arrived, Usagi still had not said anything to Rei. In sad truth, it was a lot easier to avoid them both, than being friends with Rei and trying like hell to ignore Mamoru. Although, there was a slight chance he would come whisk her away to apologize to Rei and have them get their troubles fixed, much like he did with Rei when Usagi told Yuuichirou Rei's feelings. Rei had taken everything out of proportion and stopped talking to Usagi for about three hours. Of course, three hours was a much shorter period than six days. Maybe Mamoru was glad for the gap as well.

She wanted to kick herself. Usagi was taking her mixed emotions out on her friend. Even if Rei had _given her permission_ for Usagi to date her brother, the whole relationship should not be up to her. Whatever it was going on between Usagi and Mamoru should have been left between them. Things would have turned out completely different if it were not for Rei's interference.

Usagi sighed. This will all blow over; at least, that's what she kept telling herself. Maybe it would all just blow over. She and Mamoru would get over each other and would be able to become some sort of friends to each other. To top it off, she would forgive Rei and Rei would forgive her. Things would be better later; right now she could not afford to think about it.

As if on cue, there was a light tap on the door. Slipping on a pair of red heels that matched her dress, Usagi left her room to answer the door. Just as she had expected, Seiya stood in front of her. She pushed a strand of golden hair behind her ear and smiled her hello. As she followed him to his car, let him open the door for her, the only word floating through her head was _awkward_. That's what this whole thing was. Awkward.

"Taiki found us a singer." Seiya said as he pulled his compact car on the highway.

Usagi scrunched her face in confusion, "I thought you needed a drummer."

"Well, he changed his mind, I guess." Seiya shrugged. "He said he'd come back and play again for her."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," he laughed. "Apparently she's a real knock out. Taiki is totally taken by her."

"Then you'd have to change your name to The Four Lights."

Shrug. "I think we'll keep the name with as three."

"Hmm.." Usagi trailed off, glanced out the window. "Wait, what about you? Don't you sing?"

"A band is even better with female vocals as lead. I play the guitar," he reminded. "I wouldn't be useless if I wasn't the lead."

When they arrived at the café, Usagi felt slightly overdressed. Soon, however, she pushed the feeling aside as she noticed other couples around and other young women like her were dressed much like she was, despite the casual feel of the place. Thank God for Valentine's Day and a woman's need to dress up. The two sat down at a table, all the booths along the window were all taken, and faced each other.

Seiya was handsome, light blue eyes that were seemingly transparent, and dark black hair graced his features. He had a slim build, his chin and nose both narrow. He was nice to look at – slightly feminine. Usagi couldn't help herself as a smile crept across her lips. This man had stayed true to his promise and here they were at a hip restaurant. Though she had a pleasing-to-the-eye specimen, is still did not feel right. She realized this and the smile that grew only seconds before fell.

"What's wro-" Seiya started to ask, but instead was interrupted by a slam on his shoulder.

"There you are!" A short, brown headed man greeted. He was equally gorgeous as Seiya. They had the same eyes, Usagi noticed. "God, do you know how hard it is to find you in this damn town?!"

"Taiki." Just the way Seiya said his name, the stranger straightened his posture and immediately glanced to Usagi.

"Oh, sorry," he stuttered as he realized his brother was on a date. "But this is important. Kakyuu has time to audition."

Seiya sighed, "You made it seem like she was a shoe in."

"She is. I swear." Taiki held his hands up in defense. "It's just she doesn't feel right just automatically be considered part of the band. She says she wants us all to hear her first."

"Have you heard her?"

"At her school choir concert."

Seiya slammed his head on the table and laughed. "You're kidding? You found her at a high school concert?"

"College," Taiki corrected. "She's been singing all her life, in school. Never for a band. She wants to make sure she's what we all want."

"Schedule it for another day, I'm on a date."

Usagi straightened up, "No, it's fine. I want to meet this apparent phenomenon of a woman."

Seiya shook his head, "Are you sure?"

"We're just friends, eating out." Usagi shrugged, "Remember? So technically, this isn't a date. And I can't get upset."

"Who said that?" Seiya asked.

Usagi shrugged, "I assumed?"

"Fine, let's go."

- - -

Taiki led Seiya to Neptune. Usagi slowly got out of the car and followed the boys to the door of the building. To her surprise, Taiki had a key and opened the door. As Usagi stepped over the threshold of the building, she noted how different the space looked with the regular white lights on, in the middle of the day, instead of the colored florescent lights that made it come to life at night.

Her heels echoed as she followed them to the back room she never noticed all the other times she had come. This room was big enough for a small set-up of equipment – not much bigger than the living room at her house. The drums were in the back corner, encased in its own plexi-glass booth.

A silver headed, green eyed fairy of a man was already in the room. He was shorter than Taiki, if that were possible – completely eyelevel with Usagi at 5'4. Usagi immediately tagged him to be Yaten, Seiya's other brother and the bassist for The Three Lights. The tall girl, with red hair and brown eyes standing beside Yaten, with a nervous expression on her face, had to be Kakyuu.

Yaten had a surprisingly deep voice when he spoke, "You made it!"

Usagi found a chair near the door and sat down in it to watch the group. Seiya took control and set up the microphone in the front of their getup. He took Kakyuu by the shoulders and gently guided her to the spot in front of the mic. He then motioned with his hands to the others and they took their places with their instruments.

Seiya picked up his own guitar. "Do you know any of our songs, or should we play a cover?"

"Hmm?" Kakyuu glanced back at Seiya. "Oh, I know, um, _Goodbye_."

The music started up and Kakyuu – nervous at first but slowly grew more comfortable – sang. "Should I fight back / or cower at your feet/ Should I speak up / or accept the defeat/ Must I listen / to every word you say / or can I leave/ Is there another way / to escape you?"

Usagi sat up straight and listened to the music that surrounded her. Of course, she was no expert but she knew this was what the band needed. Kakyuu was the ingredient they needed to make it. Her clear yet sultry voice took the hardness out of the music Seiya had let Usagi sample before. When the song finished, Usagi gave them a standing ovation.

"I think this is the beginning of something," she said. "Honestly, she's amazing, in my one hundred percent tone deaf opinion."

To her surprise, the three brothers agreed with her and decided that Kakyuu was just what they were looking for.

- - -

So, I'm back. I've had an extremely hard semester. A lot of personal stuff went on after I took my "hiatus" and I haven't written a damn word until tonight. So I'm back ... and nothing is finished like I said it would be. However, I know what I'm doing with this. This has only a few chapters left. I'd say two or three... because that's what I thought when I started to write this chapter. HOWEVER, I keep starting sub-plots. However, I hope to wrap them up in the next few chapters.

Anyway, if you don't know about pandora dot com... you should go to ... it's amazing.

And, Good-bye, is mine. Yes it is... Here's the entire poem:

GOOD-BYE

Should I fight back  
or cower at your feet?  
Should I speak up  
or accept the defeat?  
Must I listen  
to every word you say  
or can I leave?  
Is there another way  
to escape you?  
Hope can save me now  
that love has failed.  
I cannot be taught how  
to play your games:  
to find the words to lie –  
no, not like you.  
I guess this is good-bye.

That's all for now. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. After I fail (hopefully pass) my Chemistry test tomorrow, I'm done with school. SUMMER IS HERE!


	12. Complications

My Best Friend's Brother  
Written by: Jill Annette

**CHAPTER TWELVE – COMPLICATIONS**

After Kakyuu impressed the entire room with her siren-like voice – and after a few more songs – Seiya took Usagi home. The day was not a total waste, even if it was not what they had planned. Seiya parked his car on the curb outside her house but Usagi did not move to leave. Instead she turned to Seiya.

"Kakyuu is amazing."

Seiya nodded, he looked at Usagi though his mind seemed elsewhere. "She's what we needed. Taiki was right for a change."

She smirked. Folding one hand around her purse, Usagi opened the door with the other. "Let me know when you're first appearance with her will be. I'll make sure to get to Neptune early just so I can get close to the stage."

"You bet."

Usagi stepped out of the car, took a couple steps towards her house then turned back around to Seiya, still sitting in his car. He waved at her and, hesitating, Usagi waved back. They were just friends; she had to keep repeating to herself. However, she could not ignore the tension, whatever it was, that filled the spaces between them.

She had been in her room for a while, the only productive thing that had been accomplished was her changing into something more comfortable. The nagging thought that she should be telling Rei everything the evening showed its presence. Usagi glanced at the alarm clock on the end table next to her bed: 7:30. It was too early to go to bed. With a heavy sigh, Usagi rolled off her bed and walked out of the house. Flipping her phone out of her purse and with quick strides Usagi dialed the familiar number and informed Rei that she would be arriving at her house in promptly fifteen minutes. She better be home.

At 7:47, Usagi was walking up the stairs to the Chiba residence. Usagi rapped her knuckles against the door (it was locked) and waited for someone to answer. Another minute passed before Usagi knocked again and she finally heard movement on the other side of the door. Unsurprisingly, Mamoru opened the door, disheveled – a seemingly new look for the dark headed handsome man. Usagi could not deny his admirable body.

"Hi," she said.

Mamoru nodded but was silent.

"Rei?" Usagi attempted to peer around Mamoru and into the house.

Mamoru opened the door wider and gestured upstairs.

Usagi passed him with a quizzical look. His silence bothered her. "So is this what it has come to?"

He shrugged and shut the front door.

Rolling her eyes, Usagi took the steps two at a time to Rei's room. She slung open the door, ready to give Rei her opinion about how Mamoru was acting, only to find it empty. Downstairs she heard Mamoru shuffling about and decided to try some sort of conversation, try to see if she could get some kind of information out of him; for instance, where Rei was.

"Mamoru!" Usagi called as she ran down the stairs. "Where's Rei?"

"Out."

"Why didn't you tell me she was out?"

Another shrug.

Usagi growled, "You're being ridiculous! Say something."

He smirked, "You ignore my sister and me for weeks and expect to be able to come in here and everything be exactly as you left it?"

She cringed, her blue eyes found another spot to focus on besides his face.

"You hurt people when you ignore them."

The stool next to the bar looked supporting enough and Usagi slouched right into it is embrace. How could she explain? He knew her promise, she had told him. Did he know Rei's side of the story? "People get hurt for other things too," she whispered.

Mamoru reached into the refrigerator and pulled out two waters. He placed one in front of Usagi, opened the other and drained a third of it in one gulp. "Don't I know it."

"Rei gave me permission."

Usagi bit her lip after those words slipped passed her lips. God, she wasn't supposed to tell him that. Again, she looked away from him. The blue label on the water bottle became increasingly interesting.

He came closer to her, testing her. "So that's what the fight is about this time."

She gave him a curt nod.

"Yet you've ignored not only her, but me as well."

"There's Minako still."

"You don't understand what Minako and I are."

Usagi's eyes snapped to Mamoru's, "She thinks there's something there. Even if you say there isn't anything truly going on between you two, she thinks you guys have something."

"What makes you so sure?" Mamoru placed his elbows on the counter, leaning closer to Usagi.

"I can see it in her eyes. The way she acts when she's around you."

"Maybe we'll have to have a talk then."

Usagi shrugged. "If you think so."

"I do." Mamoru said. "There's this girl that has been driving me crazy since I came back. I mean, I'm not entirely sure if she feels the same way, but I have a pretty good idea. Minako needs to know that this girl is not her."

"What about the other girl?"

He was always leaning in closer to her it seemed. Even if she tried to back away from him, he would try again to close the gap. Their relationship was a constant tug of war. Pushing and pulling each other further and closer to the center that would release them from having to try so hard. The problem was, neither of them could get to the center together, both of them on opposite ends of the rope.

That didn't keep Mamoru from trying. "I'm hoping she'll come around."

It was quick and surprising. Completely unexpected the kiss was. She should have known it was coming; he was awfully close to her. Mamoru was always trying to stay close to her. Now, they were fused together – lips melting into one another, hands caressing and groping. This kiss was fiercer than any Usagi had ever experienced.

There was nothing holding them back now, no one to interfere. Of course, there were still some unresolved issues between Mamoru and Minako but he said they would talk. And there was Seiya. _Seiya? _

Usagi groaned. Mamoru mistook her aggravation for pleasure and grinned into their kiss. He had lifted her from the stool and sat her on the counter top somewhere during the meeting of their lips for better access. It took a moment for Usagi to will her self to lean back away from him, supporting herself on her elbows.

Breathing deeply, Mamoru stood straight up but stayed positioned between her knees. "What?" he asked.

"You have a Minako."

Mamoru ran a hand through his already tussled black hair. "We've talked about this. I'm going to make it clear to her that she isn't the one."

Usagi scoffed, "Like I am?"

He pushed away from her then, agitated. "What do you think?"

With a sigh, Usagi looked away from Mamoru. "I have a Seiya."

"What?"

She sat up. "My complication is a Seiya." She explained, "I met him a few weeks ago. We kind of hit it off."

"You kind of hit it off?" Mamoru mocked.

His verbal slap hit home. "We're just friends. I think."

"You think?"

Strike two. "I mean, I know. I just don't think he does. Not really." Usagi sighed. "It's complicated."

"So here's the thing, Usagi." Mamoru said, closing the gap between them again. "I want you. There, I said it. You're the one that's driving me out of my mind."

"I –"

"You kind of thought so already I'm sure. I wasn't denying it and kissing you didn't help deter the fact but I'm saying it outright. No more of this guessing shit."

"Okay."

"Do you like me?"

The waves of the emotion in his eyes were intense, their undertow pulled her in.

"Yes."

"Do you want to be with me?"

Usagi nodded.

"Then be with me."

"There are loose ends that need to be tied," Usagi murmured. "I need closure."

"Fine make your closure with whoever you need to." He pulled her close again, smothering her in his warmth. "But remember this," he said and kissed her again.

This time the kiss was slow and tender. Much like the kiss they first shared. Their kiss was short lived as they heard footsteps outside and the front door opening. Quickly they jumped apart and smoothed their rumpled clothing. Rei walked into the kitchen to find Mamoru once again searching through the fridge and Usagi sitting on a stool sipping her water.

"Usagi, what are you doing here?" Rei asked, setting her purse on the table.

"Waiting for you to get home."

Rei looked from her friend to her brother then sniffed the air. "I smell something fishy."

"Gumbo," Mamoru called from the behind the door of the refrigerator, holding a container of brown sludge.

Rei sighed, "That's not what I meant."

"I have to tell you about my date with Seiya." Usagi started. "Although, it wasn't really a date at all."

"Seiya?" Rei asked.

"A guy I met when I went out with Makoto."

Rei glanced back at her brother. Now he was motionless behind the door, contemplating what she was not sure.

"We have a lot more to talk about than that, Usagi," Rei stated. "Like, how you think you can ignore me for weeks and weeks and then decide when you come back everything will be normal."

"Trust me I know it won't be normal."

Usagi shot up the stairs. Rei followed slowly behind. Mamoru slammed the door to the refrigerator shut once the coast was clear. A burst of laughter floated down from Rei's room and Mamoru knew that Rei and Usagi would be okay again. However, he wondered, how long would it take for Usagi and _him _to be okay.

-------

I'm done with school. I have the entire summer off. No more college for three months!!! Finally a break after three years. If I passed Chemistry I graduate. If I don't pass ... I don't graduate. Either way, by August, I will still be going back to school.

I know where this story is going. (I've said that before, I'm sure.) I have a list of what has to happen in a slapped together order... this was not supposed to happen first. However, it did. Which puts another TWIST in the story. Sort of. Grr. Well, good.. really. For you guys. Because it'll make the story longer. Unless you're starting to think it's dragging a little now. Let me know if it's dragging. I could wrap it up quick if I have to. If not, I'm thinking (at the moment) at least three or four chapters more.

My head hurts. I burned myself today out in the sun. My part is red! (As well as my arms and back.) I guess that's what happens when you play on the beach instead of staying indoor with a chemistry book and study. Oh well.

You guys have a nice evening (day). Whatever it is when you read this. ) I'll be seeing you next chapter.


	13. Breaking and Fitting

My Best Friend's Brother

Written by: Jill Annette

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN – BREAKING AND FITTING  
**

"Come over."

He called her. _He_ wanted her to come over. They needed to talk about things.

Minako slipped her feet into brown canvas shoes that matched her brown skirt. She fussed over her hair, flattening her blond waves straight – the way he liked. When he called her, Minako had been shopping, debating on what she could do tonight. There had to be a party going on somewhere. All of that did not matter, now that Mamoru had called. He wanted to reconcile things, why else would he call? Finally, truly put things back together the way they were.

Smoothing a brow, Minako checked her teeth and slipped out the door.

---

Some time had passed since Usagi had last seen Mamoru. Since she told him she would break her ties. Seiya was busy with his band, teaching the new singer their songs. Usagi was busy with preparing for the graduation ceremony. Time seemed to disappear when people were busy.

She knew he would be at Neptune and she really needed to talk to him – just to make sure. Usagi pulled her hair into a tight pony-tail, grabbed her purse and made her way to the club.

---

Mamoru paced the dining room and the sitting room in the front of the house, periodically (every minute or so) looking out the window. Minako took her time; that was for sure. He called her nearly forty minutes ago and it sure as hell did not take even twenty minutes from her apartment complex to the house.

"Ridiculous," he murmured. He turned from the front of the house and sat down on the couch in the living room.

Mamoru flipped through the channels, he couldn't focus on anything for too long. What was he supposed to say to Minako? What were they really?

A light knock at the door made him jump. Forgetting the television, Mamoru rushed to the door. Minako stood at the door: white t-shirt with yellow and orange palm trees gracing the front and brown skirt, hair straight, make-up and a smile on her face.

_Hell_, Mamoru thought, _she dressed up. _

He shut the door behind him, figuring the conversation would best be done outside. Her smile faded a bit and her eyes clouded with confusion as Mamoru took a seat on the bench away from her.

"Hey?" she questioned, stepping closer to him.

Mamoru nodded, not able to find the words just quite yet.

Instead of taking the seat behind him, she sat on the railing of the porch. She grasped the rounded wood for balance as she leaned forward and tried to make out what Mamoru called her over. Her excitement earlier slowly started to fade as she continued to watch the man before her.

"What do you expect from me?" he finally asked.

Minako found her confidence again, "You know what I want from you."

"No," He shook his head, hands running through his black hair repeatedly. Mamoru looked at her, "No, I don't."

She rolled her eyes; her head followed her eyes up and then back down. The floor suddenly became interesting. Did he want her to spell it out for him when she wasn't even sure herself?

"Well?" he asked.

With a sigh, Minako said, "I don't know exactly."

Mamoru nodded but didn't say anything.

"I mean, I'd like to try again, start over. Continue whatever it is that we have now."

"We don't have anything now."

"We don't?" Minako scoffed. "You take me out, buy me dinner. Kiss me for crying out loud!"

"We have a history," Mamoru said pathetically.

She nodded then mocked, "Yeah, history."

Mamoru sighed and for the first time in a really long time truly looked at her. Their eyes clashed in color, from the lightest shade of blue to the darkest. Both of them should have known from the beginning they would never fit together. "Nothing else."

Willing herself not to cry, Minako took in a shaking breath. "It's that little tramp isn't it?"

His eyes narrowed, "She's not a tramp."

"Of course not." Minako shook her head, not really meaning her words. Anyone who even tried to take her future away was a tramp. "Why her?"

He didn't answer. By now he wasn't even looking at her anymore, rather beyond her.

She choked, the first bit of emotion slipped past her wall. "Why not me?"

"We've tried, we have." Mamoru tried to sooth. "You told me a long time ago to leave. You didn't even want to see me again."

Minako inhaled sharply at the memory – salt in her wound.

"We were over a long time ago."

"I thought we were beginning again." Minako whispered, "You kissed me the last time we were together."

"I just," Mamoru started. "I was trying to figure things out."

"You used me." Minako wiped at her eyes furiously, she would not cry in front of him. "Asshole."

"There wasn't anything there, Minako." He pushed out the excuse – trying to right his wrong. "I did try."

"Liar."

"I did," he repeated. "But the sparks are elsewhere."

"So we're done."

Mamoru nodded, "Yeah."

"Okay," Minako's word was more like a puff of air, her lips barely moved.

Mamoru left her on the railing and shut the door behind him to block the view of the woman he broke.

---

Kakyuu was rail thin. Usagi noted that when she had first seen her weeks ago. Today, she noted how easy it would be to snap her in two like a twig. She was better than that, however, instead she would walk away, head held high and forget she ever saw Seiya sticking his tongue down her throat. Besides, the whole reason she came to Neptune was to officially break things off with Seiya even though they apparently had nothing to break. Nope, no loose ends here, everything is tied off.

Still, there was a little something – had to be. Seiya hit on her, called her constantly – up until a few weeks ago when their band was always _practicing_. Usagi smirked, practicing what exactly was what she wanted to know. She laughed at herself, at the jealousy she could feel so dominantly rushing through her veins. She had come here to break. Things. Off. Usagi had to keep reminding herself that. There was someone better, someone she truly wanted behind another door.

Backing away from the scene before her, still not quite able to tear her eyes away, Usagi ran into a chair. How perfectly placed that chair was for her to hit, for it to scratch across the floor, making a sound a bit less annoying than fingernails on a chalkboard, before it toppled over, crashing onto the cement floor. The multiple sounds echoed of the wall repeatedly: scratch, crash, scratch, crash.

Usagi cringed, tried to disappear within herself. _Stupid chair._

Of course, their attention was averted to her. Both with lost looks for a moment before they realized someone else was in the room. Sheepishly, Usagi smiled, waved, then ran.

She had rounded the corner before she heard her name called, another before she heard her name again with a plea to stop. Her limbs never registered the command, at least not until her arm was grabbed and she had no choice but to stop or lose her arm.

"Look," Seiya said, taking in a few gulps of air. "I'm sorry. I should have called, let you know… something."

Usagi shook her head. "It's okay."

Heavy breath. "It's just, there's nothing between you and me right? Both of us notice it." Seiya finally straightened up, his even breathing returned. "With Kakyuu, it's amazing. There's just, this, this fire!"

Usagi nodded.

"I mean, whatever we have is just a friendship. There's no fire, no spark, no electricity."

"Seiya, it's okay," Usagi insisted. "The whole reason I came to Neptune was because I was tired on waiting for you to return my calls. Besides, I just wanted to let you know that I there was never going to be anything between us because there's someone else for me too."

"Really?"

"Yes," Usagi said. A slight smile spread across her face, "Sorry if I interrupted anything important."

Seiya scratched the back of his head but he didn't say anything.

"So I'll see you around?" Usagi asked, tilting her head.

"Yeah," he agreed.

Usagi turned on her heel and walked away. Looking over her shoulder she said, "Let me know when you guys have a show."

He nodded and watched as Usagi rounded yet another corner.

---

She didn't make it off the porch before she collapsed. Her entire body was shaking, she couldn't believe she set herself up for this kind of disappointment again. With her head bowed, her platinum hair hid most of her face, her hands hid the rest as her upturned palms caught her tears and muffled her sobs.

Minako knew she should have given up on him years ago whenever she practically shoved Mamoru out her front door. For some reason though, she kept a small place for him tucked deep within her heart – only for it to get ripped out, stomped on and fed to a younger blond.

"Are you okay?" a sweet voice called out to her.

Minako peeked through a crack of her fingers, _speak of the devil._ She shook her head.

Without saying anything more, Usagi sat beside her and rested an arm on her shoulders.

The minutes passed as this stranger, this young beautiful stranger who took her future – whatever it may have been – away from her, smoothed Minako's back with the palm of her hand.

"Want me to beat him up for you?" She asked.

Minako dropped her arms on her knees and looked at this mystery beside her. Her voice rasped, "You took him from me."

Usagi nodded, not really saying anything for a moment: then, "Are you sure you ever really had him?"

Gasping, Minako leaned away from her. Finally she shook her head, no, she never truly had Mamoru. If she did, she would not be where she was now: shoulders sagging, both her hair and her skirt hanging heavily and smearing her mascara with tears on his front porch. She couldn't fathom a reason why he would be attracted to this girl sitting beside her. Yet, the truth hurt.

She stood up slowly, escaping the slight touch of Usagi's fingers. "Take care of him, okay?" she whispered, head tilted. "Don't make me regret allowing this."

Usagi, making no attempt to move, nodded. "I will."

Minako turned her back on Usagi and strolled away with whatever was left of her heart.

---

He was afraid to look outside. Minako had still been sitting on the front steps an hour after they talked. While Mamoru was curious about Minako, wondering if she was all right, he could never find the courage to just open the door and ask her. What right did he have anyhow? He had just carved a hole in her heart.

Mamoru felt horrible; there was no way he felt like a better man. No way he felt like he deserved the entire reason he made sure Minako had no hope for them. He rested his elbows on the bar and sunk his head into his hands. How could he even begin questioning himself now? Usagi just felt right. There were no other words. Okay, so maybe there were other words but they all amounted to _feeling right_. He would just have to stick to his gut feeling.

The front door creaked open without anyone knocking. Mamoru heard a shuffle of footsteps into the house before the heavy oak door latched closed again. He dropped his hands from his face and looked up; coming into view was the very person who he decided he lived for.

Usagi smiled and stepped closer to him. Impatient, Mamoru marched across the room and gathered the slender blond in his arms, holding her as if he might never get the chance to do so again. She returned the embrace, her arms slid around his neck. Their bodies melded together and they made a solid fit.

Leaning back far enough to gaze at Usagi, Mamoru brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Hey."

She nodded, "Hey."

---

THIS IS NOT THE END. Not exactly. If I can find the damn time to write, it'll be up quickly. )

Sorry it took so long for me to get this chapter out.


	14. Starting Now

Woo-hoo! The final chapter!!

My Best Friend's Brother  
Written by: Jill Annette

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN – STARTING NOW**

She crossed the stage in the auditorium; proud strides carried her from one side to the next as she shook hands and received a blank scroll that was meant to represent her diploma. The year was over, she had graduated. Rei whooped from the front half of the students, calling Usagi's name and laughing holding up her own scroll. Fighting the urge to run up to her best friend and squeezing her until she could not breathe, Usagi continued her stride back to her seat.

Afterwards, when they threw their hats and every person in the building was out of their chairs, Usagi found Rei and proceeded to choke her in a death grip of a hug. "Can you believe it?!"

Rei bounced in Usagi's hold, "I know, I know, we are amazing!"

They parted; then separated to find other friends and acquaintances throughout their former classmates: congratulating and being congratulated. The stream of people seemed endless, every time Usagi turned around there was another person she hadn't spoken to. By the time she thought her mouth would fall off from the pain of smiling so much caused, the crowd started to thin and she was finally able to start breathing. Only, catching site of yet another person, her breath left her again.

_Mamoru._ His name was barely a whisper on her lips. He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug – she had been receiving many bear hugs like this since they became official. It felt nice to be held so securely and by someone who cares so much about her. Usagi burrowed into his embrace – her cheek finding the soft spot beneath his shoulder.

"Congratulations, graduate," he murmured into her hair.

She beamed, "Thank you."

He kissed her hair, her nose, and her lips.

Arm and arm they strolled out of the auditorium to catch up with Rei and Yuuichirou. Tonight was a turning point in their life, a night they would all remember.

---

The cabin sat on top of a hill, a dirt pathway stretched from the porch do a wooden staircase that ended on sand. The beach welcomed them, waves reaching out to them as far as they could before being retracted by the undertow. Rei and Usagi walked the beach, their bare feet sinking in the soft sand.

"So what do we do now?" Rei asked.

Usagi shrugged, glancing back at the cabin. She spotted Mamoru standing at the top of the stairs, mesmerized by the beach.

Rei groaned, "You sicken me!"

"What?" Usagi gasped, "Why?"

Throwing her hands up in the air, Rei said, "You guys can't even keep your eyes off each other for more than ten minutes."

Usagi bowed her head, "Oh that."

"Oh that," Rei mocked.

Using her shoulder, Usagi shoved Rei, a small laugh escaped her. "At least I'm not hanging all over him."

"Hmm," Rei agreed.

Both of them had images of graduation earlier that day, the get-together afterwards for the recently graduated could mingle a little longer. They hired the band now known as Princess Kakyuu and the Three Lights for the ceremony. Even Yuuichirou agreed that their music was mind-blowing. However, during their breaks, Kakyuu would pin herself to Seiya in an almost grotesque display of affection.

"Glad you got out of that one while you did," Rei muttered against the wind.

"Huh?"

"You would have turned into a suction cup!"

Usagi laughed. "That's not funny! Seiya is a really nice, talented man."

"Who loves to have his girlfriend literally on him ninety percent of the time."

The blond shrugged. "He's in love."

"So are you and I and none of us are leeches."

"Stop it!" Usagi rolled her eyes.

"You know it's funny."

"Whatever, let's go back."

"Wait a minute." Rei caught Usagi's arm. "I just wanted to say that I truly am sorry for trying to keep you from my brother earlier this year."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I just, I feel really bad." Rei leaned on one foot, then the other, twisting her fingers together. "I mean, you guys are really – truly – meant to be together."

"It doesn't matter," Usagi said, waiving it off. "You were forgiven a long time ago."

"Thank you," Rei said, and she hugged her friend.

Returning the gesture, Usagi said, "Anytime."

Spinning around, Rei and Usagi made their way back to the cabin.

---

After dinner, the four sat around a camp fire. They told stories and laughed as the night wore on. Eventually Rei retired to her room and Yuuichirou followed shortly after. Mamoru and Usagi were left with the dimming fire and the night sky blanketing them. Neither spoke for the longest time as they held each other.

"What are you thinking?" Mamoru asked, bending his head to look at Usagi.

"Nothing really," she replied.

"There has to be something going on through that mind of yours." He lightly tapped her forehead.

She shrugged, "It's just, this, right now, is so perfect. Who's to say it is always going to be like this."

Mamoru was quiet for a moment. "No one will."

Usagi sat up straight, extracting herself from Mamoru's hold. "Then why even bother?"

Taking her hand, Mamoru traced the lines of her palm with his thumb. "Even though our life may not always be this perfect, this calm, this stress-free, it doesn't mean I will just stop caring for you. I'm in this for the rest of my life – as scary as that might sound right now."

Wide eyed, Usagi asked, "Really?"

"Yes." Mamoru nodded. "No matter what happens you will be a part of my life and I'm not rushing anything because I know we'll last."

Usagi leaned into him, capturing his lips with her own. This would be the first kiss of many she would initiate. Encircling her arms around his neck, she buried her fingers into his hair. He leaned into her, stretching her body back.

"You taste wonderful," he whispered against her lips.

Cracking her eyes open, Usagi found Mamoru watching her flushed expression. She smiled meekly and he kissed her again.

Usagi broke the kiss, "So this is the rest of our life?"

"Yes." Mamoru nodded. "Starting now, you are my constant."

---

I hoped you enjoyed this! I'm extremely tired because I stayed up until four in the morning selling Harry Potter books last night and I have to go back into work in about an hour and it's not even noon yet. Point is, I don't have much to say. Too tired to think.

Thank you guys who stuck with me from the beginning.


End file.
